The other day at work, I noticed a rather crazy looking woman doing a rather crazy dance to some in-memorial MJ playing from an unseen jam box on the street. I took some video:
After her inspiring routine, this woman came in to sell some CD's, and after a little chatter, she told me her name is Filippa. She did a little Shakespeare for the entire store, then launched into a rousing version of the well-known American poem "Desiderata". Enjoy:
This kind of thing happens pretty frequently to anyone who works on this particular stretch of Telegraph Ave. in Berkeley... But Filippa's routine certainly makes it into my top 5 crazy people moments.
In other news, we've been working pretty hard on new music - particularly on new sounds via sampler and drum machine. Here's a clip of Jameson and John figuring it out at Boontling:
Catch us next July 11 at OMFG Oakland! A little part of the Mission Creek Music Festival in the East Bay. Deets on our MySpace of course.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
News, Freestylin' in Sac, Dogs in SLO, shows...
This post is a recap of a super fun weekend in Sacramento, Oakland, and SLO... Click on the pictures if you want them to be bigger.
On Saturday, we played a set at Old Ironsides in Sacramento - it was pretty fun. We got there and sounchecked. The sound guy was super nice.
Then John got bounced and had to wait outside all night.
Because John had to wait outside all night, we waited outside all night too. That's when we met Christine. She was a spirited woman, with undeniable talent. After telling us a story about doing mushrooms and shape-shifting, she informed us that she occasionally dabbled in free-styling. Then she performed for us.
After our successful evening debut in Sacramento, we bid our new friends farewell, and went back to the bay. I went to work.
Then we drove down to San Luis Obispo, for another show. Jameson and Danae drove me down with them. We were all squished into the front of Jamie's small pickup truck. It was alright. We stayed at Jameson's parents house - they have the most comfortable couch in the world, which is called 'The Cloud'. Amazing. They also have dogs. Here is a picture of one of them, his name is Tucker.
The park was nice. San Luis Obispo is the most relaxing place on earth.
On Saturday, we played a set at Old Ironsides in Sacramento - it was pretty fun. We got there and sounchecked. The sound guy was super nice.
Then John got bounced and had to wait outside all night.
Because John had to wait outside all night, we waited outside all night too. That's when we met Christine. She was a spirited woman, with undeniable talent. After telling us a story about doing mushrooms and shape-shifting, she informed us that she occasionally dabbled in free-styling. Then she performed for us.
After our successful evening debut in Sacramento, we bid our new friends farewell, and went back to the bay. I went to work.
Then we drove down to San Luis Obispo, for another show. Jameson and Danae drove me down with them. We were all squished into the front of Jamie's small pickup truck. It was alright. We stayed at Jameson's parents house - they have the most comfortable couch in the world, which is called 'The Cloud'. Amazing. They also have dogs. Here is a picture of one of them, his name is Tucker.
The next day we hung around San Luis - ate some stuff, went to the park.
Walking near the park we saw an interesting cactus
The park was nice. San Luis Obispo is the most relaxing place on earth.
Then we played a really fun show with Starfucker. They are amazing and a ton of our friends were there. Adam took a video of one of our newer songs. Here it is:
After the show we hung around Jameson's house a little more, then John and his friends went to play some Mario Cart at Ryan's house. I went with them, and got to meet this delightful princess of a dog. Her name is Sophie:
The next day, I hung out with my Mom a little in Cayucos. She has a very cute dog named Felony.
After that, Jameson's brother Cameron had a barbecue for his birthday. Everyone had to wear hats.
Our new single, 'Sandusky Sunset', was released digitally today (although its much better on cassette, and when you buy a cassette, you also get a free digital download). If you can't make a Grand Lake show, or are for some reason not into buying a cassette, you can download the digital single at any of the usual online retailers.
Posters
Grand Lake is 'headlining' the Oakland portion of the Mission Creek Music Festival, sponsored by Wiretap and Oaklandish. Yeeeah!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Press, confessions
Check out this post from 'The Devil Has The Best Tuna', a tasty little mp3 blog. I'm definitely into the imagery of cassettes as zombies.
We played in Sacramento last night and it was great. I broke a bass string (this happens more than I'd like to admit), but we tore through the last few numbers and it went over well. I felt like kind of an asshole, because the crowd asked for an encore, and we didn't give them one. Shit happens.
We're playing San Luis Obispo on Monday with Starfucker (excitement!), and I will make a proper post with photos and vids of our busy weekend prolly on Tuesday.
Oh, and, Happy Father's Day! Here's a youtube shout out to my Pop:
We played in Sacramento last night and it was great. I broke a bass string (this happens more than I'd like to admit), but we tore through the last few numbers and it went over well. I felt like kind of an asshole, because the crowd asked for an encore, and we didn't give them one. Shit happens.
We're playing San Luis Obispo on Monday with Starfucker (excitement!), and I will make a proper post with photos and vids of our busy weekend prolly on Tuesday.
Oh, and, Happy Father's Day! Here's a youtube shout out to my Pop:
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
News, Chinese Food
Yesterday Jameson did some recording of our saxophonist friend Jacob Rex Zimmerman (Atka Quartet). After they wrapped up their session over at Mills, the three of us went out for some food in Berkeley. I got the fortune pictured below, which I think may be the oddest fortune I've ever gotten. In case you can't read it, it says "Music melts all the separate parts of our bodies together." Sexxxxxxy.
Our cassette single is done, and available, but at the moment, only at live shows. The cassettes (pictured below) come in super amazing sleeves designed by our friend Celeste Zoellezi, with matching buttons, and a download of the two songs. All that for $5. Come pick one up at any of our next shows. MySpace has all the dates.
Our cassette single is done, and available, but at the moment, only at live shows. The cassettes (pictured below) come in super amazing sleeves designed by our friend Celeste Zoellezi, with matching buttons, and a download of the two songs. All that for $5. Come pick one up at any of our next shows. MySpace has all the dates.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Still No Lucy, Tonight's Show
No word on our missing van yet - keep them fingers crossed! I'm mostly hoping that crack smoke doesn't leave a residual odor - does it? I actually had a dream last night (this morning I guess) that I was with John and Jameson, eating burritos, IN THE VAN. When I woke up I half expected the van to be back in our possession, but, alas.
Tonight we're playing a set at the El Rio in the city. Its quite exciting, because our cassette single is all finished, and they will be available this evening. The show is being put on by the deli, and our friends at the Bay Bridged posted a lovely little blip about it here.
Tonight we're playing a set at the El Rio in the city. Its quite exciting, because our cassette single is all finished, and they will be available this evening. The show is being put on by the deli, and our friends at the Bay Bridged posted a lovely little blip about it here.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
News, Press, Podcasts
Its been quite a week for us in Grand Lake land... as you may have read, our beloved van, Lucy, was stolen on Sunday. Hippies Are Dead posted a nice 'be on the lookout' type piece about that. So far, Lucy hasn't turned up again, but we remain optimistic.
The Bay Bridged posted their latest podcast today, which features Grand Lake. Give it a listen here. Topics covered in the interview include the origins of Grand Lake, our affinity for Cassingles, drinking, quitting jobs, and gut-feelings. Niiiiiice.
West Coast Performer Mag's Brian Echon wrote a tidy little feature about Grand Lake in this month's issue entitled "Grand Lake: When Pain Is The Muse" - oh the drama! Check that out here.
Stranger Dance included "Sandusky Sunset" in an mp3 round-up type post. Check it here.
Thursday night we play our first ever headlining show at the El Rio. We will also be selling our new cassette single Sandusky Sunset for the first time. They are all done - and they are beautiful. They are also only $5, which includes a digital download and a button. Hellz yeah.
The Bay Bridged posted their latest podcast today, which features Grand Lake. Give it a listen here. Topics covered in the interview include the origins of Grand Lake, our affinity for Cassingles, drinking, quitting jobs, and gut-feelings. Niiiiiice.
West Coast Performer Mag's Brian Echon wrote a tidy little feature about Grand Lake in this month's issue entitled "Grand Lake: When Pain Is The Muse" - oh the drama! Check that out here.
Stranger Dance included "Sandusky Sunset" in an mp3 round-up type post. Check it here.
Thursday night we play our first ever headlining show at the El Rio. We will also be selling our new cassette single Sandusky Sunset for the first time. They are all done - and they are beautiful. They are also only $5, which includes a digital download and a button. Hellz yeah.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
THEFT
This is the suckiest post I hope I ever have to write:
Today while I was at work, our beloved van, Lucy, was stolen from a spot on Regent and Parker in Berkeley. In the back of the van was Erika's yamaha stage piano. So this double-sucks.
If you see some punk kids riding around in a 1989 Baby-Blue Toyota Van with an Amoeba Music sticker on the back, please let us know when and where by emailing us.
The police said that there is an OK chance that Lucy will be found sometime in the next couple of weeks. Meanwhile, we will be dedicating our set on Thursday to her. We will wear black, funeral style.
In case you spot a van that matches ours, here is the license plate number: 2PSC424
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
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