Buryatia

It's been almost eleven years since my trip to Siberia - we returned less than a month before 9/11/01. Recently, I found a photo CD containing some pictures from that trip. Pictures originally taken with real film! Here are a few of them.

Our gang in front of Ivolginsky Datsan, the most important Buddhist monastery in Russia

Cow drinking from Lake Baikal

Taking a break on the shores of Baikal. The guy on the left is our driver, Sergei.

Grazing horse near the lake

Adorable toddlers at the Sotnekova Orphanage

Jenny in front of some intense artwork at Dom Rebenka. Is that fox making off with a child?

There are many photos that haven't make it to digital format (yet), including the world's largest Lenin head statue in Ulan-Ude. Maybe I'll get those scanned sometime soon! Must. Continue. Organizing...

If you're trying to paint a picture

 
Jeff Tweedy Basement Show, year eight! It's hard to believe we have been doing this for eight years. Each time it doesn't seem like very long since the last time, but somehow they add up.

2012 did mark a milestone: the first time our show has switched basements. We moved from Hotel SnS to the newly christened Casa K&A, home of Kris and Alison. Luckily they have a sunken basement, so the show's private nomenclature remains intact.

If you want to consider it another milestone of sorts, 2012 was also the first year that we didn't commission a professional poster. This wasn't completely intentional, but it ended up spawning one of the most entertaining parts of the afternoon: a DIY poster studio. When it became clear that a premade poster wasn't going to materialize, I bought some poster board and sifted markers, crayons, and stickers from the dregs of my old art supplies. With marker and pencil additions from Alison and Tamala, the stage was set. Originally I envisioned this as something of a lark, but people really got into it! We ended up with a lot of great, creative, hilarious posters that everyone enjoyed showing off to each other ... and to our guests of honor after the show.

Ah, the show. Jeff played everyone's requests (a few people had to make alternate choices) and we even got a preview of the upcoming Mavis record. After striking out on my first try last year, my request for "Dark Neon" was granted! I've been wanting to hear it live since it came out, so that was exciting. Paul's request of "Give Back The Key To My Heart" inspired some talk of Doug Sahm, and Rob's "You Are Not Alone" led to some of the funniest stories of the night. "I Shall Be Released" was poignant so soon after Levon Helm's passing - something a smaller group of us also observed in the wee hours of the morning with a singalong to "The Weight." Long after Jeff, Susan, and Mark went home, we were still singing and dancing and snacking on the remnants of our yearly potluck. After a year's hiatus it was great to have Patti and Mart back, with Mart's considerable musical chops elevating our late night jam session to the next level.

Every additional year we're able to make this show happen at this point is icing on the cake. Will there be even more icing? Stay tuned in 2013 to find out.


Also see 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006

Easter roundup

Easter 1981

My, but I am bad at blogging lately. To catch up, here's the best friend of lazy bloggers everywhere (followed closely by the every-popular all-photo post): bullet points!

• Last weekend were the benefit shows Jeff Tweedy plays each year at the Vic in Chicago. Always a great time, with friends coming from afar, and the chance request songs - provided you're in line early enough. This year I opted for new and old: "Art of Almost" and "Watch Me Fall." I was also able to lend a hand in the collection of requests on Saturday, a privilege that I did not abuse. What do you take me for? The weekend also included a trip to Hot Doug's. Oh, Hot Doug's.
• The excavation of old photos and other artifacts at my parents' house continues. I was in Kenosha for Easter, and today's haul included a trove of early 1940's birthday, Valentine, Christmas, and (appropriately) Easter cards received by my mother. They've survived over sixty years in bright, primary color. I didn't bring any home with me, but at some point I'd expect a showcase of the best cards to appear here.
• I'm mulling sabbatical destinations. Final contenders include the Greek Islands and Argentina. Greece beckons me a little louder, but god, I can't even read the alphabet without confusing it with Russian. Not that I'm a fluent speaker of Spanish by any stretch of the imagination, but compared to my Greek skills I might as well be. I think the trip, whatever it is, will probably take place next spring. Meanwhile, a jaunt to Colorado is in the works for this summer. I still have my eye on those last four U.S. states, too. 
• Netflix has been a blessing and a curse in terms of letting me catch the entire run of now-finished TV shows. Shows I never watched while they were on, that is. In the past five or six years I've worked my way through Buffy (that took over a year), Six Feet Under, The Sopranos, and The Wire. Right now I'm deep into Season 4 of The West Wing. No spoilers!

Weather systems

It's been a gorgeous month of March in Wisconsin, which has put me in an excellent mood. Perhaps nature is trying to make up for the crappy spring weather we had in 2011. I'll admit that mid-March temps in the low 80's are taking things a little too far, but mostly it's been a delight.

Besides the good weather, I had additional reasons to be in a good mood this weekend. Friday night I saw The Hunger Games, which - despite not being as good as the book, as is almost always the case - I enjoyed. The costumes and makeup get a thumbs up from me, the Reaping scene was excellent, and so was the large African-American man in the audience dressed up as Effie Trinket.

Saturday morning I went out for blueberry pancakes with some friends and their adorable baby, and Saturday night I went to Milwaukee to see Andrew Bird at the Riverside. It's been a couple years since I caught an Andrew Bird show (though I did see his exhibit at the Chicago MCA in 2011), which made this concert especially enjoyable. Andrew and his band played many songs from the new album, Break it Yourself, which was included as a free download with every concert ticket purchased for this tour. Kudos, Mr. Bird. The three non-percussionists also gathered around a single microphone at the front of the stage for a total of five songs, something that Andrew seemed to indicate they'd only done at the Ryman - but they wanted to try it out in Milwaukee because the Riverside sounds so good. The versions of "Effigy" and the Handsome Family's "So Much Wine" they played in that configuration were my favorite parts of the show.

After staying out far too late in Milwaukee, I am enjoying a leisurely Sunday in preparation for ... the two-hour season premiere of Mad Men!!! Not that I'm excited about its return or anything.

Five things: kitchen

It's been over half a year since my first five things post (living room) ... so I figured it was time for another one. Here are five things I like in my kitchen:

1. Wine rack. I can't remember exactly where I found it, but I know Paul and I were walking around a strange city (strange as in "neither of us lived there," not strange as in "weird") and saw it sitting out on the curb waiting for a trash pickup. I'd just realized that I was in need of a small wine rack, so I picked it up instead. Wherever this was, I had to take a plane to get home but Paul did not. So it happened that months later, during a visit to Wisconsin, after I'd all but forgotten about the wine rack, he delivered it to me. Thanks, P!

2. Le Creuset tea kettle. It's actually embarrassing how rarely I make use of it these days, but it's a nice, ornamental red. It lives on the stove.

3. Food-related wall art. I picked these three postcards up separately, not intending to put them together in any way. But at some point my new condo's kitchen needed decorating, and the theme suggested itself. I believe the three-part frame came from Target. Voila!

4. Vintage aluminum pitcher and cups. The fact that they're up on top of a shelf probably indicates how often I use these, but I love seeing them up there. I should make iced tea this summer and serve it from this set. And brew the tea in my kettle! It's all coming together.

5. Miró magnet. I bought this at a museum in Madrid, probably the Thyssen-Bornemisza. It was a museum that had some Miró paintings, some of which featured stars. Hence, the magnet. Ha ha. I can't pass the magnet on the fridge without saying the phrase out loud, always trying to perfect my accent on "las estrellas."

Bad neighbor

I live in a townhouse-style condo. Each building is made up of four units. We each have our own driveways, garages, upstairs, downstairs, and basements, but four condos - two on each side - face each other across a larger, common driveway.  There are a total of four buildings.

I'm not a bad neighbor in the obnoxious sense. I don't bang things or blast music at odd hours. I don't have a barking dog or loud children. But I have lived here over four years, and from a lineup I could pick out ... maybe five of the people who live in those twelve units. Total. Probably tell you their first names. And I was the condo association secretary for three years.

My next door neighbor has owned her condo for about a year. Once she stopped by while looking for her cat and we introduced ourselves, but I can't remember her name. I know she has two daughters. One of my across-the-driveway neighbors is - I think - a single young woman ... but maybe her boyfriend lives with her too? Maybe he's even her husband? She or they have been here for about six months. Next door to her is another woman with a live-in boyfriend and two sons. I do know her name and her boyfriend's name, but they've lived here as long as I have.

We all wave or smile and sometimes say hi if we pass each other outside, but that's it. I have no clue who lives in the condo that shares a back wall with mine. I never formally welcomed the newcomers. Does this make me a bad person? I think about my neighborhood growing up, and we kids were out playing with the neighbor kids all the time. All of the parents knew each other, and the non-parents, too. My mom and dad still exchange Christmas cards with most of them. Were they just friendlier than me, or have times changed? If I'm guilty of being a bad neighbor, then I suppose my neighbors are just as guilty.

I won't ever forget how

Over the last two weeks of January, I did something I hadn't done since early 2010: attended more than a couple Wilco shows in a row. (That weren't held a short drive from my home, that is.) This was an old-school rock tourism run - seven concerts plus a couple of bonus appearances. Admittedly, it was easier than most, since those two weeks were based in exactly two places: a friend's home in Los Angeles and a friend's home in San Francisco. (Based for me, that is. Not the band.) Still, seven shows over nine days takes energy and commitment ... especially when so many are general admission and involve waiting in line for the privilege (and it is) of standing near the front of a theater for five hours. I did manage to do other things besides concerts - we had two weeks in California, after all - but I'll concentrate on the shows here.

On Monday, January 23rd, my friends and I saw Wilco tape an episode of Conan. Later that night, we fulfilled a longstanding dream of seeing Jeff Tweedy at Largo at the Coronet. Perhaps "nearly fulfilled" is a more accurate description, since Jeff didn't actually play any songs. He and Jeff Garlin had a two-and-a-half-hour conversation on stage instead. (This was supposed to happen.) However, after years of a certain friend campaigning on Largo's behalf, it still felt like a big victory. Most importantly, the seeds have now been sown and watered. We can only sit back and wait to see what else might come up.



Tuesday was our first proper show, at the Palladium in Hollywood. The venue reminded me of an elegant old roller rink, if such a thing exists. The show was heavy on the rock, and although the sound wasn't the best, we had a great view. Everyone seemed to be in a fine mood, and I got my first good look at Mikael's "Walt Disney" mustache. Hmm. And as befitted a Hollywood show, we had some good celeb sightings. (Jasons Bateman and Sudeikis.)



Wednesday at the Wiltern in L.A. will probably go down as one of my least-favorite show memories, through no fault of the band's. The corporate greed of Live Nation once again reared its ugly head, with venue lackeys coming out an hour before doors to charge folks $20 for the chance to keep their spots in line. Don't want to pay? Anyone who does pay gets to go inside before you. I've heard of similar programs before, and paid a small fee up front to avoid being screwed, but a surcharge of more than 2/3 the ticket price right before the show? No. Plenty of people capitulated, but we metaphorically told Live Nation and the Wiltern to suck a dick ... even though it meant losing our places in line. Our spots inside weren't bad, if you had no idea what had transpired, but the show was tainted by the whole experience. Nevertheless, once my wrath had mostly subsided (a good version of "Misunderstood" can do wonders), I was able to appreciate the finer points of the show. An all-electric version of "Laminated Cat," for one.



Friday was the last of the Los Angeles shows, at the LA Theater downtown. It's a lovely, ornate old building (the bathrooms are amazing!) and apparently is rarely open. Exactly how Wilco got booked there is a mystery, but it certainly was an experience. We learned, among other things, that Albert Einstein was in the audience for the first-ever performance at the theater. The stage was low, which lent an interesting vibe to a reserved show. The crowd seemed divided in terms of standing versus sitting, until Jeff made a comment that got everyone on their feet. ("I'm not wading into that debate. You know where I stand.") "Less Than You Think" opened the show. It may be my favorite lyrical turn from Jeff, which is saying a lot. (It's almost gone / the night is dissolving / in a cup God lifts to toast the lightning ... sigh.) The acoustic arrangement of "Spiders" was also a welcome addition.

Saturday we were off to the Bay Area and San Jose Civic Auditorium. It was fun being introduced to U's old stomping grounds, even if we didn't have time for pho at the homestead. In SJ I met a couple of Seattle ladies who became fast friends over the next two days. Plus, a reunion with the Sisters McC! Amidst all the friend action was a fun, energetic concert. We benefited from a speaker on the stage in front of us, so openers White Denim came through better than ever. Coincidentally, their set in San Jose was my favorite of those I saw. The sound for Wilco was also crystal clear, all the better to hear Jeff's jokes about the crowd's preshow wine tweets. At the end of the show we learned that Jane Smiley - and her boyfriend - had been in attendance.



Sunday's concert was at the Warfield in San Francisco. Despite sketchy neighborhood surroundings, it was my favorite line wait of the trip. The day was sunny, there were plenty of shops and restaurants nearby, friends were out in force, and the Seattle girls raided Walgreens' supply of colorful camp chairs. If only the neon nipples on the gentleman's club sign behind us had lit up in the dark, the setting would have been perfect. During the show, the band unveiled "Either Way" for the first time in awhile - I'd like to think it was in honor of our SF hostess. The band seemed to be in a playful mood, at least for the second half of the show. Jeff nearly tripped on the guitar cord at the end of "Handshake Drugs." Nels got a brief shoulder massage at the end of "The Lonely 1." Our Sunday night ended quite a bit later, after a visit to a karaoke bar, but some details are better left unreported.



Tuesday found us in Oakland at the Fox Theater. If Sunday was our most pleasant line wait, Tuesday was the chilliest. As luck would have it, there were record high temperatures in Wisconsin that day ... at times it was literally warmer in Madison than it was in Oakland. It was another loose (mood-wise) show, including an synth injection for "Can't Stand It," and tech Josh reprising his centaur-esque shirtless cowbell dance for "Hoodoo Voodoo." A flipping-the-bird incident from LA was revisited, and Jeff had the house lights brought up so that the whole crowd could give the band the finger - captured on film and at least one iPhone from the stage.

Last came Davis, on Wednesday. A seated show at the posh Mondavi Center, which actually sold wine glasses and cheese boards at its gift shop. This was Wilco's first concert in Davis, with what appeared to be a rookie crowd. I can't account for acoustic nuances, but I didn't hear much singing along from my seat. Jeff seemed to be in a baiting mood, not saying anything for almost an hour and then proceeding to rib audience members for a variety of things. (Leaving the front row for the restroom, having the most pens he'd ever seen in one pocket, sitting down, taking pictures in spite of the no-camera policy, not knowing when to clap at the end of "Capitol City," yelling out for "Freebird.") The comments didn't seem to come from a truly angry place - there were also a lot of grins on stage - but a little frustration? Perhaps. About two thirds of the way through the show, the needling finally got the crowd on its feet - where most people remained for the rest of the night - and the mood improved. Davis was the end of the line for me this time. I flew home on Thursday.

After a break of more than two years, was I still up for a multi-show run? The answer is yes. Perhaps I felt the fatigue a bit more than I used to, but I'm not ready to throw in the towel yet. I've realized something else, though: I'd never do this kind of thing if it weren't in the company of good friends. See you next time!