My parents, on their wedding day as they get ready to go on their honeymoon.

(ps. I hope to update the blog real soon, there’s lots to discuss, just been busy with some health issues)

I was going to provide rankings past a top 10, but decided to keep it simple so here it is:

1. Dropkick-Abelay Hotel
2. Fanfarlo-Reservoir
3. Camera Obscura-My Maudlin Career
4. We Were Promised Jetpacks-These Four Walls
5. Micah Schnabel-When the Stage Lights Go Dim
6. The Tailors-Come Dig Me Up
7. Michael Carpenter-Redemption #39/The Stripped Redemption #39
8. Hello=Fire-Hello=Fire
9. I Was A King-I Was A King
10. Vulture Whale-Vulture Whale (II)

here’s the rest, tied for #11 in alpha order: (there was a lot I didn’t get to buy in 2009)
A Camp-Colonia
Bap Kennedy-Howl On
Brakes-Touchdown
Brendan Benson-My Old Familiar Friend
Broken Family Band-Please and Thank You
Broken Records-Until the Earth Begins to Part
The Clean-Mister Pop
Graham Coxon-The Spinning Top
God Help the Girl-God Help the Girl
Heartless Bastards-The Mountain
Tommy Keene-In the Late Bright
Joey Kneiser-All-Night Bedroom Revival
The Knobs-Breakup & Die (officially released in 2009)
Le Reno Amps-Tear It Open
Liechtenstein-Survival Strategies in Modern World
The Love Language-The Love Language
McGowan-American Regular
Memphis 59-Ragged But Right
Rhett Miller-Rhett Miller
Pains of Being Pure at Heart-Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Pastels/Tenniscoast-Two Sunsets
Joe Pernice-It Feels so Good When I Stop
Reigning Sound-Love & Curses
Ike Reilly-Hard Luck Stories
Spare Snare-I Love You, I Hate You
Swell Season-Strict Joy
The Swimmers-People are Soft
Trash Can Sinatras-In the Music
Frank Turner-Poetry of the Deed
Twilight Sad-Forget the Night Ahead
Two Hours Traffic-Territory
Lewis Wilson-Lift You Up
Yo La Tengo-Popular Songs
Zooey Van Gooey-The Cage was Unlocked All Along

Top 10 songs (although, I have a new favorite song every day):
1. Moving Clocks Run Slow-We Were Promised Jetpacks
2. American Static-Micah Schnabel
3. The Road-Frank Turner
4. Honey in the Sun-Camera Obscura
5. Too Much Too Say-Dropkick
6. Pictures of Her-The Tailors
7. Harold T. Wilkins. or How I Learned to Wait for a Very Long Time-Fanfarlo
8. Lalita-The Love Language
9. Nothing to Hide-Yo La Tengo
10. Can’t Go Back-Michael Carpenter

I saw a decent amount of shows, not many as I’d like to have attended, but I had to choose quality over quantity. I definitely saw more than
three, but the ones that most stood out:

1. Dropkick, The Primary 5 & Attic Lights-Darvel Music Festival, Scotland
seeing three bands I love a lot for the very first time on the same stage. despite being freaked out meeting so many people for the first time at once, it was entirely too much fun in one night!

2. Teenage Fanclub-Belfast
If I had any sense, I would have made it known on the TFC message board I was going to be present for the show as I ended up going on my
own. Not that it stopped me from enjoying every single second of it. hard to believe I’ve been a fan for 18 years now!

3. Frightened Rabbit, Twilight Sad, We Were Promised Jetpacks-Orlando
Three Scottish bands in the US. Amazing night, incredible sets from all three, and I got to combine it with a visit with my Great Aunt.

My friends, Oppenheimer have posted a big news item on their website, and all over their online presence.

you can read it here: Oppenheimer website

Back in, oh, I don’t remember when…but I used to randomly scan local venue sites and check out bands I’d never heard of, and read descriptions, etc. Anytime a UK band would be listed at one of the smaller venues in DC, I’d make a point to check them out and if I like their music try to go the gig. I’ve got a few of friends from Belfast, thanks to spending a few years in a bar in Atlantic City (basically, where I’m from) many many years ago. So naturally, a band from Belfast would stand out. I checked out their music, loved them, and then saw they were playing a gig in Philly with friends too.

I met Rocky, Shaun, & sound legend that he is, Gerry at DC9 and they didn’t think I was a freak. I’d offered up my living room as a place for them to sleep, but they were finishing up a tour that involved a horrible experience for a portion of it with one band that I can’t remember the name of and instead of staying in DC area, they drove back to NYC.

It was the first of many gigs I’d see, and I’d learn that there would sometimes be police involvement. I can’t find the video of the pool party at my friends’ home in NJ a few summers ago, but the police showed up at the end of the party, while Oppenheimer played their last song, and the police officer made it on camera dancing along with us.

Here’s a video from an all ages show at a gallery in Fredericksburg, VA when it was Rocky’s birthday…we went to a local bar and downed many pints before the show, which made it interesting, and then went back afterward. It’s only a portion of “Look Up” and it was before it was released on record:

Then there was the time they played again at DC9, and I was having a bad day, so I left work early, took the next day off, and took metro into the city, knowing I could get a lift in the van back…I spent the last of the little cash I had on 2 drinks (DC is expensive) and while I’m not a wine drinker, really, Gerry had a bottle that he brought in from the van (fuzzy old camera phone photos to follow):

He and I finished the bottle:

I managed to give good enough directions to get us from DC9 to my home without getting us stuck at the Pentagon, but not enough to be able for us to give their friend, Mark (aka Skibunny) who DJ’d that night back to his Dupont Circle hotel, although that could’ve been an entirely different night all together!

Then there was the time they played Atlantic City, and were on their way back from SXSW 2007, and their friends, LaFaro were with them. I knew Fireworks are illegal in NJ, but who was I to spoil the fun, so I took them to the beach where I stood with 3 Oppenheimers, 3 LaFaros and watched the beautiful fireworks. And within seconds AC police were there by bicycle, car and probably other means. poor Gerry took the heat for it all, and thankfully all he had to do was clean up the fireworks and some beer bottles that weren’t ours!

they played Galaxy Hut with our friends, Surefire Broadcast and this is one of my favorite photos from that gig:

I think they played IOTA too…and then I got to see the very first gig of their long tour with They Might Be Giants in Baltimore, and then close to the end of that tour here in DC at 9:30 club, and then again opening for TMBG just earlier this year!

I’ve been in my current place coming up on 4 years and in that time I’ve had a number of bands here. It’s tapered off in the last year & a half, but the Oppenheimers stayed here enough I could almost give them their own key!

I wish I could be in Belfast next week to see them play that last gig, and I wish I had met up with Rocky & Angie when I was in Belfast back in May, but it just never worked out. I know I’ll see Rocky again, not sure what Shaun’s plans are, but I wish them the best of luck! They’re a part of my musical family and I’m glad I could be there as much as I was these past few years!

here’s some more links:
Oppenheimer on Myspace
Oppenheimer on Facebook

I first heard about The Waxwings from Jeremy. I fell in love with Low to the Ground and immediately wrote the band a letter. at the time, they didn’t have anything online, but they had a Detroit P.O. Box, so I did what I used to do before the internet, I wrote them a letter saying hello, telling them I liked the record and if they ever wanted to play a show in Atlantic City, I could set them up with a show at McGuire’s.

I drove myself, Jeremy & Scott up to Khyber to see them. Unfortunately, the first band didn’t show up so The Waxwings had to go on early. As a result, we missed most of their set, except three songs. I remember blushing when I said we drove up from AC. Immediately, they knew who I was by name. perhaps they didn’t get many letters?! 🙂

In the Summer of 2000, I found myself working for a commercial alternative radio station. We started a concert series at Hard Rock Cafe and on the first night, I noticed one of the guys from our station holding Low to the Ground. He seemed baffled that I knew who they were. (my musical taste was well above and beyond a good number of people I worked with there, but it was a temporary escape from retail) At any rate, the station was apparently looking to bring them in to play a show. I suggested they play with John Faye Power Trip (now IKE) and a few weeks later it happened!

i still remember when I first heard “Ten O’Clock Your Time” on the station. I was sitting at my parent’s dinner table, having a spaghetti dinner and I practically spit out my food I was in shock.

At any rate, over the years, I’ve watched them release two more records, go through some turbulent times and was able to give them a place to sleep a couple times. When Dean was touring with Brendan Benson, I got to say a quick hello at the Black Cat, but that’s pretty much the last time I’ve spoken with him.

Seemingly, ages ago, a friend of a friend is his manager and I was given the privilege of an advance of the Hello=Fire album. I loved it within the first 10 seconds! I’ve been listening to it off and on, using alternate tags for it since I have last.fm linked, and have been dying for others to listen to it. I take the privilege of advance copies of albums seriously and while I really wanted everyone to hear it as soon as I did, I wasn’t about to spill it. That hasn’t stopped me from raving about it and wondering aloud when the hell it’s being released though!

the wait is over.

It’s being released next week. So far it looks like a UK release only. I haven’t been able to find any further information, but as soon as I do, I’ll be spreading it like wildfire!

And try as I might, Dead Weather isn’t my cuppa. Yes, I’ve watched late night show appearances and bought the record, but more out of support for Dean than anything else!

listen & watch the video, but that’s only a little bit of a taste of the goodness on this record!

I’ll have to write more later, so I’ll be editing this but here’s my play list for last Sunday’s radio show, song title, followed by artist:

Blues Stay Away From Me-The Louvin Brothers
My Darlin’ Hometown-John Prine
Somehow I Know-Mr D
Autumn Fields-Kontiki Suite
Hide Your Mind-Ardentjohn
To Better Days-Magnolia Summer
which william-Hensley Sturgis
Belle vue-The Tailors

American Static-Micah Schnabel
Alphabet City-Two Cow Garage
That’s How I Got To Memphis-Joe Pernice
The Day We Met-Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles
Teddy Boys-Kelly Willis
Doin It For The Country-Redlands Palomino Co
You’ve Got Troubles On Your Mind-The Scuffers
Drunk on the Blood of Christ-Bap Kennedy
You’re Not Coming Home Tonight-First Aid Kit

And Suddenly-The School
Mine Your Own Business-Honeybunch
Picture Perfect-Strawberry Whiplash
I’ll Never Be Yours-Bubblegum Lemonade
The Was-Make Model
Apple+Option+Fire-Hot Lava

Scotland-The Very Most
Swans-Camera Obscura
Anime Eyes-The Awkward Stage

Swim Until You Can’t See Land-Frightened Rabbit
Open Your Mind-Lewis Wilson
I Wonder Why-The Primary 5
Song For The Dead-Sean Jackson
Can’t Go Back-Michael Carpenter
After All-The Hazey Janes
Don’t Dream Of California-Dropkick
Darkest Hour-The Spectacular Fantastic
Rainfall-Apples In Stereo
Cheating a Cheat-The Small Change
Duality-The Martial Arts
Penny-Phony Bone

How Do You Know?-The Lyres
Sooner or Later-The Feelies
Let’s Go Surfing-The Drums
Teedy-Vulture Whale
The Good News-Philadelphia Grand Jury
Nothing to Hide-Yo La Tengo
Stuck for the Summer-Two Hours Traffic
Poison Letter-Le Reno Amps
Take It Upon Yourself-Sloan
Finish Line-Fanfarlo
Pocket Full of Gold-The Swimmers
Ton Of Love-Attic Lights
Don’t Look Back-Teenage Fanclub
Everything Flows-Velvet Crush
Threadbare-The Bigger Lovers

Quiet Little Voices-We Were Promised Jetpacks