emperor_norton

An update: after a couple of months adjusting to life in a new place in Anthem (which is a nice enough area, although extremely whitebread), things are going pretty good on my end. And why is that?

Because I have realized that mobility is a many splendored thing.

I'VE GOT A CAR! After years of being consigned to pedestrian purgatory and bus line hell, I'm back on the road! I've got a silver Honda Civic. It ain't much to look at (it came with a large dent in the front door that makes it look like the car got side-swipped by a charging rhinoceros, and the sun visors looked like they were assaulted by Freddy Krueger), but it satisfies all 4 of my car desires:

1) It can go from Point A to Point B.
2) It is economical.
3) Its got air conditioning (not really something you don't want to be without during this time of the year; its so hot I have to peel myself off the upholstery to get out of the car).
4) Its got a radio.

So now I've been looking for every possible excuse to get on the road, as though I have Quantum Leaped into the body of a 16 year old. Most of my friends are the solitary, "let's-chill-at-my-place" kind of geek (which I am as well, but its a role I'm trying to break out of), so I don't have any bar friends or concert pals at the moment, but that hasn't stopped me from actually doing stuff at night now, as opposed to sitting at home and watching Criterion DVDs (which is enjoyable and thought-provoking and cerebral and shit, but I would much rather go out and have fun with actual human beings right now, as opposed to being an art-house theater audience of one). What's real nice is that a lot of interesting shows are coming to Phoenix in the next few months: Okkervil River, Peter Bjorn & John, The Besnard Lakes (whose "Are The Dark Horses" record I've found to be a near-perfect driving home late at night record), Of Montreal, !!!, Built To Spill, John Vanderslice/Bowerbirds, Minibosses, and Black Mountain. I'm also planning my first ever road trips out to Tucson to catch the Blitzen Trapper show @ Club Congress in October and later on catch the Stars show in November. So I'm definitely loving the freedom of having four wheels and getting off work at 8 pm.

A few highlights of the last month:

-Catching a screening of Charles Burnett's "Killer Of Sheep" at Tempe Cinemas. "Killer" was recently restored and is now touring the nation in spite of being made 30 years ago and never officially being released (due to clearing music rights). Incredible film. A bit like Italian neo-realist films, like the stuff Fellini and De Sica do, only it takes places in the ghetto, features an all-black cast, and has flashes of sharp, cutting humor that you would NEVER find in flicks like "I Vitelloni" or "The Bicycle Thieves". Just a fantastic film, and a damn shame that it hasn't had a chance to find a wider audience in the past;

-Going to the Romantasy Cabaret burlesque show at the Paper Heart back at the end of July. I had never been to a burlesque show (or the Paper Heart, for that matter), so it was a real treat to be exposed to something new. The show was pretty good, a bit rough in parts because you can tell they're still fine-tuning their acts (and host Lucy Morals stage banter was just terrible at times, but its really hard to hate on someone with a name like Lucy Morals, so I'm going to shut up now), but worth the 3 hour run time. The only weird thing about the venue (which I dug) was that the men's room toilet has no door. There is no DOOR in front of the shitter. I am used to the overall horrific conditions of most men's rooms in Phoenix concert venues, indeed I expect them to look like a burst septic tank, but the Paper Heart's mens room was just so wrong on so many levels. I still shiver just thinking of the things I saw in there...

-Went to a concert at Modified Arts on Tuesday night to see St. Vincent. The opening acts were nothing memorable, but she (i.e. the Saint) was just phe-goddamn-nomenal. I haven't heard much of her stuff before going to the show (I heard some snippets on Amazon, liked what I heard, bought her record but never actually got around to listening to it before the show), so I came in with no expectations and was just floored by her band. Its always strange to see groups one doesn't associate with noisiness rock the fuck out (ex. I saw Sigur Ros years ago and they were UNHOLY LOUD), so it was baffling (in a good way) to see an indie pop songwriter (who admittedly has some very odd, strange guitar parts) with violinist and rhythm section in tow jam out on stage as though they were the Velvet Underground warming up for a run-through of "Sister Ray". The crowd participation was excellent; people were really getting engaged with the show, as opposed to standing stock still with arms folded in front of them, imitating trees like they normally do. Her encore was the highlight of the evening: just her on stage, stalling for five minutes by talking to the audience, tuning her guitar, figuring out what to play, and then they cut the venue lights so the only lighting in the place is the christmas lights strung out on Modified's wall, and she did a cover of Nico's "These Days" that was just gorgeous. I'm definitely going to see her again if she ever comes back to Phoenix.

All in all, life is good right now.

Side note to any SG Arizona friends I have: if any of y'all ever want to hang, drop me a line. My nights are pretty much wide-open and I'm looking for ANY excuse not to stay at home.