Well it's August already, of course late June and early July were busy with Comfest, Tom Waits, Here Comes Your Weekend Blowout and DooDah Parade. Mostly local shows and I picked to go to She & Him on Monday since I didn't think I could get off work early enough to go to Radiohead in Cleveland. The next show I would like to go to but hate the ticket cost is the Supersuckers at the Ravari Room. 18 bucks for the Ravari Room and Supersuckers! I am used to the price gouging going on at other venues like 30 bucks for Magnetic Fields at Southern Theatre and My Morning Jacket at the LC for 29 bucks. But Ravari Room's size and layout really means they should charge that much for a show.
Well, another Comfest is upon us and I still live close to Goodale Park so you will see me around alot, but sometimes escaping to my air conditioned place. But most times I will be at the Off Ramp stage except Saturday night when I go to see Tom Waits at the Ohio Theatre.
Well now that I have officially moved and settled in (ie unpacked enough things) I have been going out again. Really enjoyed seeing the X reunion show with Billy Zoom back on guitars. Then the Old Haunts at a moved show to Surly Girl were a surprise one night. And as always, the Dirtbombs put on an amazing show. The opening band the Terrible Twos were pretty good as well. The younger-blonde drummer for the Dirtbombs was able to get even crazier on their ending set when they switch instruments. He took full advantage of the small space and ceilings of the Basement. The end of this month will be Comfest, and I was able to get tickets to Tom Waits so that will be one night I wont be at the Offramp Stage. But many are hoping he will make a showing at Comfest.
Well still moving, wanted a month overlap since it has been some time since I moved-7 years. Well I knew the first Saturday would be screwed because of Gallery Hop in my neighborhood-Short North. But yesterday, that Saturday was just as bad since a marathon was going on and all my friend and I wanted to do was get his van with my stuff across from one side of High Street to the other and it was a royal pain. I still managed to get quite a bit moved, but it had to be one of the most frustrating with all the cops assuming you are idiots for wanting to cross High Street during a marathon. At least Friday night was fun seeing The New Pronographers again. Neko Case was with them, but she was the last time, but I guess she doesn't always tour with them. I love her vocal style and have seen her solo several times but it's fun to see her in a band where it's different style from what she does solo.
Well, I got the keys to my new place April 1st and gave my landlord my 30 day notice. So I have a month to move which helps, even if floating two rents this month plus a deposit was really painful on the old finances. Still in the Short North, but back on the Victorian Village side and no longer on High Street after a 7 year run. It's on Hubbard Ave between Park and Dennison and I am used to the area since that is the area I lived when I first moved to the Short North. I go see the New Pornographers on Friday but that may be my only show this month due to the move.
Well, I have been a little down just because I have to move. The one problem living in the Short North is you never know when your landlord is going to decide to really raise the rent. I knew it would happen sooner or later, it just sucks that after seven years, I have to go through the whole moving ritual again that I had down to a science before due to crazy roommates. So lately been putting a hold on concerts and going out except for shows I already have tickets for like X, New Pornographers and Dirtbombs. The one thing time spent at one place helps my lease isn't up until the end of June and he gave me over a 90 day notice and said I just need to give him 30 days notice and can move out before the lease ends (Comfest weekend), which I really want to be out of here before then.
Well the snow outside is sure making the Short North look dead for a change on a Saturday. I braved the snow earlier to go meet some people for breakfast since I figured I could be one of the few to actually be able to make it with the snow. Reminds me of the snow I would get back in my old stomping grounds of Northwest Ohio. But unfortunately for the Short North, all I have seen is closings this winter and no openings yet. I was hoping that March would bring some new places that have had their "opening soon" signs up all winter. But this beginning of March doesn't bode well for those places maybe trying early March as an opening. I remember snow canceling out a few shows before so I hope that didn't impact Modey Lemon last night at Bourbon Street or tonights shows at Skullys where I am going or other locations.
Christmas, just another day for me since family lives 3+ hours away and schedules odds family times due to large and extended family, so I stayed here. Probably best, because since my mother died, my older sister has assumed the head matriach role of the immediate family and has declared judge/jury/excecutionor on me due to my "lifestyle"(had a roommate who was a guy and and artist, therefore he and I must be gay and I have automatically have AIDs according to her). Every visit is a castigation of everything I have ever done in my life when conversing with her. Younger sister's sordid past is being repeated in her 22 year old son, who recently married his girlfriend he had been dating 3 months and living with two that became pregant just as she was prepared to break up with him due to his constant cheating. So if I sometimes seem to cringe when talking about my siblings, that's part of it, but I still love them, as I guess they still love me no matter what they think I am or do. Okay, end of my holiday family rant.
Well more for the ladies, many of the new places opening up in The Short North lately have been women's clothing stores. Just below my place is the latest, The Emperor's Newest Clothes, which many seem to really like. This added to the nearby Rowe and and Ivy Hill that have been around a little longer. It used to be more retail items type stores, but lately the trend seems to be more clothing stores (Dr. Mojo, Fibres, G & Co., Tigertree, American Apparel etc.), with of course the ever present countless restaurants that dominate the neighborhood. For every restaurant that closes, like Rojo recently did, usually another one quickly takes it place.
I finished my "Roctober" with the Black Swans CD release at Surly Girl. Saw the Ravonettes (?sp) at the Basement which I really enjoyed pluse Nada Surf(too many people), and the Shout Out Louds who do the Cure proud. I will be out of town in Michigan, but more in the rural areas, so unable to see the Michigan SG members, but maybe another time when I have more time since this is a quick trip. Concerts I attend will taper off next month, but that is to be expected in the Midwest.
