The Good Citizen, The Touques, and Buster Blue this Saturday!

This Saturday night at Satellite Lounge is a triple delight!

'The Good Citizen' will be opening, solo artist Cyril Beatty and his folky apocalyptic rock, as described by his wife Martina. Check him out here.

Next up, The Touques, Reno indie rock band with a colorful, psychedelic feel. Visit their Myspace and watch their crazy artsy music videos. They're pretty awesome, especially The Dear Maxine video, featuring the fabulous UNR library.

Buster Blue-a folky Kaleidoscope of instruments, featuring a trombone and a banjo, that sounds a bit inspired by Tom Waits.

The show starts at 10 pm $5.

Enjoy the weekend and go see the show, you deserve it after the work week!

Check out this band: The Cold War Kids

The whiny noises played constanly on the radio is making me sick.
I'm bored with the repeated attemps at orignallity when everything on the radio sounds the same.

The eveloution of Rock music is constantly evolving and there are so many different generes most of us haven't even explored. Ah thank goodness for the World Wide Web, a convient source to new and 'hidden' music that isn't played on our radio air waves or music video channels (except for occasionly on MTV2 when Crank Yankers isn't on).

My co-worker Pete Krajewski told me about The Cold War Kids and urged me to listen to them.

This is their popular single, “Hang me out to dry”. The footage from the video is the band performing at what appears to be a middle school, surrounded by shaggy hair kids crowding the stage and banging their little heads.

This single got my attention fast! It's got a raw guitar bass line intertwined with the perfect drum beats and the piano nonsense in the middle of the song. And the lead singer, Nathan Willett , has the kind of sexual deviance in his voice that rock stars should have.

As the lead singer in a rock band, your job is to have the kind of voice that makes girls melt and guys aspire to sound like. Maybe it’s been done, but what’s rock without that sexy rebel attitude?

Yeah, I guess that’s it. Sorry guys, it worked for Queen-but that's it.

His voice is a bit softer and sometimes bluesy in other songs, but it’s “Hang me out to dry” that brings a chill to the back of my neck.

Enjoy the video and check these guys out!

Check out some music sites here!
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/
http://www.idolator.com/
http://www.stereogum.com/

Reno youth center outs on an out-of-this-world fashion show, fundraiser.

The stars were out on Saturday night, delicately placed on black dresses, silver suits, and almost all shapes and sizes of clothing for the Holland Project's Space for Space cocktail party and fund raiser.

The outer-spaced themed event was held at the Holland venue on Keystone and welcomed Reno locals of all ages for treats, live music performances, art, and even a space fashion show.

Heather Fuss, 25, is one of the key contributors and volunteers to the Reno Holland Project. Fuss was born and raised in Reno but moved to Seattle when she was 17. After graduating from college in San Francisco, she moved back to Reno and became involved in and the idea created by her friend Britney Curtis. Curtis and Joe Ferguson are the founders of Holland and have molded their idea into what Holland has become today.

"I left Reno at that age because there was nothing for me to do here," said Fuss. "In so many other cities I saw a vibrant urban youth culture that Reno didn't have. I decided to stay here and contribute to this amazing project."

The Holland Project is a nonprofit youth center and all ages venue opening in downtown Reno. It's created by local artists, musicians and other members of the community as a place for music, art, workshops, events and gatherings for Reno's young and aspiring minds.

Fuss talked about the growing meth problem in Reno high schools.

"Those kids wouldn't get into the meth problems if they had something that really motivated them and inspired them."

Fuss has a hopeful outlook for what the Holland Project can do for the city.

"It's a personal enrichment, to help with growing and learning creative skills. It builds confidence at an age for people really want that looking for direction."

Many popular Reno faces have helped contribute for the Holland Project.

Sean O'Hair, owner of Record Street Cafe near the University was one of the first board members and is a huge part of implementing the program.

Musician Jammal Tarkington frequently volunteers and has donated to the project.

"It's a great thing that's been needed in Reno for a long, long time." said Tarkington. "I try to help as much as I can."

Tarkington has played benefits and fund-raisers with donated sound for the evening's event.

Mike Livernash, drummer for the local Indie rock band The Touques, volunteers on weekly and was working spotlight for the evening's event. "I tried to get involved as much as I could," said Livernash. "I think this is an amazing oppourtunity. I heard you could volunteer so I joined up."

Singer/ songwriter Grace Hutchison performed a few of her songs from her collection for party guests.

With her charming, retro-feminine chic and classic movie star looks she is very popular in the Reno music scene, but it's her powerful heart-breaking lyrics and gritty sound that seduces her audience to fall in love. She has a very strong fan base in the Reno night life and it was no doubt that many of them filled the Holland crowd.

"I did anything I could do to be involved," said Hutchison. "My performance is only the least I could do as apposed to the people who have created and work so hard to make this thing happen. The second I was asked to do it I said, of course!"

The Space Fashion Show was created by local designers and amateurs. The show was the hit of the night with music from local rock band Letters from the Earth.

"It was flawless," said Fuss. "It completely exceeded any expectations, it brought everyone together."

According to Fuss, Saturday night's event raised about 2000 in ticket sales and another 1500 in art action revenue. This did not include ticket sales prior to the event. The exact amount has not been counted estimated yet.

"We made almost 4000 last night which is amazing for a purely volunteered staff," said Fuss."The community has been incredibly and supportive, which is both surprisingly and wonderful."

Holland's opening day is April 28 for a free event of live music and performances pieces. High School students will be performing their first live show on the Holland stage.

Many more events are on the way for Holland including a prom for Rainshadow Community Charter High School in May.

Holland has been organizing fundraisers at local bars Satellite lounge and XOXO since the winter and they finally got their warehouse in February.

"You have to believe in an idea, believe in yourself and believe in other people." said Fuss about the outcome of Holland. "If you feel something this strongly than it’s something that you should peruse."

Photos:

Singer/ songwriter Grace Hutchison performed a few of her songs from her collection for party guests at the Space to Space cocktail party and fundraiser for the Holland Project.

Alexis Gray/RGJ

Levy Watson stood at the door selling tickets decked out in a golden football helmet for the ultimate in space man attire. His son Jude, 4, matching his dad's space style, played around the warehouse with a few other children near his age.

Alexis Gray/RGJ

Holland Project holds fund-raiser party

From the RGJ Update:

The Holland Project, a nonprofit arts and music group for all ages, is holding Space for Space on Saturday, an outer-space themed cocktail party to raise funds for the project's venue.

The party features live music, art, a space fashion show, a black hole photo booth and the Holland Moon Man.

Money raised goes to start and sustain the Holland Project, which was organized by local young artists, musicians, students and business owners and plans to open April 28th.

Space for Space runs from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday at the Holland Venue, 263 Keystone Ave. Tickets are $30, or two for $50 and are available at Bibo Coffee, Record Street Cafe, the Blue Plate and at the door. Details: visit www.hollandreno.org or call 742-1858.

I will be there, hope to see you!!!!

Photo by: Liz Margerum / Reno Gazette-Journal
From left: Heather Fuss, Toni Ortega, Melanie Berner, Jow Ferguson, Sean O'Hair, Anthony Alston, Austin Baker, Brittany Curtis and Ireri Rivas are all part of the Holland Project, a non-profit youth arts and education project.

In the Line of Fire: The Story of Knut

You've probably already heard about this little guy. He’s become an international celebrity almost over night.

Photographer Annie Leibovitz has even come to capture the cub in pictures.

This baby polar bear named Knut has been the center of an animal rights uproar over in Deutschland. Knut was born in the Berlin Zoo, the first in 30 years, and was rejectedby his mother at birth. His twin brother died shortyly after birth and Knut has managed to survive thanks to Thomas Dörflein, a zookeeper who has dedicated himself 24/7 to the bear. He even feeds Knut from a baby bottle.

All was peaceful at the Berlin Zoo with Dörflein and his baby...

Of course now animal activists are putting their foot down (but not too hard, don't want to kill the little bugs on the floor, they’re people too) and demanding this madness end!

According to an A.P. story on MSNBC.com, animal rights activist Frank Albrecht claimed that "Feeding by hand is not species-appropriate but a gross violation of animal protection laws," therefore "The zoo needs to kill the bear cub."

Now I’m not an animal rights activist although I do love animals the same as many do, but doesn’t this seem a bit redundant? Aren’t animal activists supposed to want to save animals? It’s true that although Knut is a little cuddle bug, he’s going to grow up to be a massive, blood thirsty predator. This caused many concern amongst animal activist and animal lovers everywhere, but why is there need to kill an innocent baby creature?

Many others agree that raising Knut with humans is a bad idea and believe that he will not be a “real” polar bear.

According to the Spiegel Online International, there have been similar cases in which a baby animal was put down at a zoo rather than be raised by humans. Many are disagreeing and saying that the baby should live and cannot be domesticated. This means he will grow up naturally as a bear, rather than a pet.

Will Knut grow up to be part of the family rather than live out in the wild? I’m not an expert but it’s doubtful. Dörflein may have to detach himself soon before Knut becomes too big.

Read more about Knut, the hoopla, and the fear of polar bear extinction at MSNBC.com

It's nice to have something else in the news rather than bald, strawberry coke snorting pop stars and boney, camera hogging heiresses.

Prepare to die of a cuteness overload, watch this funny video of Knut from Youtube. The Dallas theme is a nice touch.

Now I'm trapped in the Closet....

In 2005, R&B mega star and infamous urophiliac created the epic 12 part masterpiece known as “Trapped in the Closet”. I use the term ‘masterpiece’ loosely, when in fact it’s more like 40 minutes of coked-fuelled insanity. It began as a five part music video that follows the story of Sylvester and the mind boggling twists and turns he encounters. Kelly added a sixth part, then a seventh and continued all the way until 12! It’s considered a new genre called a “Hip-Hopera”, and Kelly has even said it may be turned in an actual stage play.

After the whole fiasco exploded on television and computers everywhere, the parodies began to multiply. Of course you may remember Dave Chappelle's hilarious "I'm gonna piss on you" parody as well as South Park's own version of the song.

Leave it to “Weird Al” Yankovic to create his own parody called, “Trapped in the Drive-Thru”. The song is on his new album, "Straight Outta Lynwood”. This is pretty hysterical and yet, still not as off the wall as Kelly’s. The story may be different but the idea is the same; it's a must see!


If you have 12 minutes to kill I suggest you watch this. As for Kelly’s “Trapped in the Closet”, I haven’t even seen the whole thing yet! If you have a few days to not do anything than PLEASE watch it in sequences, too much R. Kelly may make your head implode.

I can’t post any of R. Kelly’s video because of some ‘steamy’ scenes, but go to YouTube.com and watch all 12 parts!

Enjoy!!!


Trapped In The Drive-Thru

Amazing Video: Man ages on film!

This is an incredible video I found on Vh1's Web Junk home page! The video is about a man named Noah who took a picture of himself everyday for six years. The outcome? A wildly popular and genius art piece that has made its way to become one of the most popular things on the web this year. It's about 6 mintues so if you've got the time go for it! It's creepy to see him age right before you eyes, and what's crazier, it's so called a "work in progress" that means we may see Noah age more in the years to come!!!



If you don't have the time, just wait until it loads all the way and go have a snack or something. Then come back and take the cursor and slowly move it from start to finish and SIM SIM SALA BIM! You see the whole video in 2 seconds!

The 20 Worst Cover Songs in Pop Music History

When I first read over Cracked.com's 20 Worst Cover Songs in Pop Music History, I knew I would be in for a gut-wrenching good time.

But I was not prepared to relive and unfortunately never forget this gruesome group of pop music massacre. Most of the songs that are on this list may make you want to throw up in your mouth a bit.

Remember Hilary Duff’s screechy rendition of Classic Rock legends, The Who's "My Generation"? Neither do I, but 8 seconds of this song is enough to make your skin crawl.
Macy Gray’s creepy version of Aerosmith’s Walk This Way just may be hazardous to your health.
And thanks to the film Gothika, we were forced to watch Limp Bizkit’s Behind Blue Eyes, another classic by The Who. Fred Durst should be happy Mr. Townsend didn’t break a guitar upside his head.

So listen for yourself and tell me what you think. Wait until you seeCeline Dion shake her laffy taffy as she wails ACDC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long” .

The only one I have to disagree on is No Doubt’s Talk Talk cover of “It’s My Life”. Come on, I love that song! Maybe they should replace that with William Shatner’s ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”.

Graffiti Artists feature work at area bar

The Green Room was packed shoulder to shoulder Saturday night welcoming San Francisco graffiti artists Steel and Reyes of The 7th Letter.

The 7th Letter is an international art collective featuring graffiti artists as well as fine artists and tattoo artists, established in 1988 in Los Angeles with more than

200 artists.

Artists Steel and Reyes splashed their signature styles all over the walls of the Green Room, a downtown Reno bar. Steel has been creating graffiti art for 10 years.

"I've always loved graffiti as far back as I can remember," Steel said. "I've constantly pursued it ever since."

They also were selling serigraphs, sharp-edged graphics created by stencils of their art of their art to the public.

Although graffiti art or tagging has been around since the first humans sketched on cave walls and Egyptians painted the hieroglyphics, the pioneer era of graffiti art began in the late 1960s in Philadelphia. It became an expression of political activism during turbulent times.

"Graffiti is the art of the people," Reyes said. While growing up in difficult situations, Reyes found his escape in graffiti art. "I took it more seriously as I grew up and it's been a huge part of my life."

In the 1970s, graffiti artists began spreading to New York City from impoverished areas, creating a new style on street walls, subway trains and just about anywhere else in the city. It was an escape from harsh conditions and gave the youth an outlet from crime and violence.

It began to tie in with the growing hip-hop culture alongside break dancing, disc jockey and the master of ceremony. Famous hip hop pioneer Fab Five Freddy is a prominent figure in the culture, responsible for bringing the graffiti movement and hip hop music out Brooklyn and into other cities in the early 1980s.

The Reno-Sacramento Hip-Hop trio Who Cares supplied their hypnotic beats and masterful lyrics to the show.

Although these trends have been going on for years, the old school appeal is being reborn into a new generation.

For many years graffiti has been considered a crime and in association with gangs. But the idea of "street art" has become wildly popular in Europe and Asia. Graffiti art is now featured in many art galleries, and some consider it a modern art form.

Featured Art by: Steel
For more info, visit their websites: The 7th Letter
The Known Gallery

At Last, What You've All Been Waiting Years For:

That’s right, The Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Film Movie for Theaters is coming. If you have no idea what I'm talking about prepare to be confused. Adult Swim's nightly 15 minutes of animated insanity is finally going to hit theaters on April 15.

Since the show's debut in 2000 on Cartoon Network's late-night mature cartoon block, the bizarre antics of three fast food products have quickly become a cult classic for college kids across the nation.

The show stars three fast food munchies: Frylock, the highly intelligent sensible one of the group-a box of French fries. Master Shake, a selfish, rude jerk in the form of a milkshake with hands. Meatwad, a sweet, child-like meatball who shape shifts and loves hip-hop. The trio usually stay in the house while dealing with blood sucking aliens, robot ducks of the future, puzzle-piece shaped creatures who want to conquer the world, a grimy human neighbor named Carl and even Danzig!

The show made national headlines in January 2007 for placing electrical devices with the Mooninites characters sporting the middle finger all around Boston promoting the upcoming film. Boston shook with concern fearing the devices were bombs. The city nearly shut down in fear of a terrorist attack. Since the incident Turner Broadcasting System has apologized and given the city a $2 million dollar settlement and the general manager of Cartoon Network has stepped down.

Watch the trailer here at YouTube and go see the movie on April 15.

Watch episodes of Aqua Teen Hunger Force here at Adult Swim’s Fix.

This Friday: The Glam O Rama Girly Show with Hellbound Glory

Ooh La La!

This Friday at the Satellite Lounge is the vintage burlesque show from Seattle, The Glam O Rama Girly Show. The show starts at 10 pm, after the Lady Luck Tattoo Convention.

After the girly show, stay for Reno's own Rockabilly/classic country band-Hellbound Glory.

Read the blog I wrote about for Hellbound Glory in August.