Off the Wagon

Too busy to actually blog...

2009-09-23T08:02:00.000-07:00

The Get Up Kids DVD Trailer

2009-08-27T17:19:00.000-07:00

According to this Punknews.org article, the Something to Write Home About reissue is out September 7 and includes a DVD with a full live performance of the album, as well as archival footage. I really hope there is more archival footage than what I've already seen on YouTube. I also wonder where these shows were filmed. If I remember correctly, one of the shows (maybe it was the On a Wire tour in 2002?) I saw at the Showbox in Seattle was being filmed...

Check out the trailer above. The 19-year-old in me can't wait!

The Future of Music?

2009-08-25T14:56:00.000-07:00

I don't know what this really is, or why it was made, but it's awesome.

Found via The Stranger's music blog, Line Out

Floor Fest '09

2009-08-10T07:45:00.000-07:00

My friend Casey is booking three awesome shows this week at the venue she is helping to manage, The Ground Floor. Between WhAAM and the Ground Floor, Bellingham's all-ages scene has never been stronger. Help create an even brighter future by showing up at these shows and telling your friends. Every single one of these shows is going to be a good time. I am especially stoked to finally see Hour of the Wolf!

August 11th - $5.00
- Xibalba (Ponoma, CA)
- Envision (Bham)
- Media Mind (Seattle)
- Torerro (Bham)

August 13th - $7.00
- Hour of the Wolf (Prescott, AZ)
- Wolves and Thieves (E. Bay, CA)
- Touche Amore - (Los Angeles, CA)
- ManEatingWolf (bellingham-sters)
- Bully (angry young enumclaw punks)

August 16th - $5.00
- Unrestrained - (Vermont)
- Unrestrained - (PDX)
- Not Sorry - (Seattle)
- The Helm - (Seattle)

Check out this goofy Hour of the Wolf zombie attack music video:

Road Trip From Hell

2009-07-30T17:30:00.000-07:00

You may recall a post I made a while back with a trailer for a fake movie, The Legend of Zelda: The Missing Link (I highly recommend clicking that link (PUN!) if you haven't seen it yet).

That trailer was made for a monthly competition here in Bellingham called Trailer Wars. It's basically a group of friends who make movie trailers and have a screening every 6 weeks. After all the trailers are played, everyone in the room votes on their favorite. The winner gets to choose the genre and rules for the next competition. The Zelda movie was made for a "children's fantasy" film. Devon, who directed it, won the month before so he was ineligible. The group that did win that month chose a Road Trip movie that must include the following:

- A vomit scene
- A dead historical figure
- The song "Don't You Forget About Me" from the Breakfast Club (this rule was later removed to prevent YouTube from taking the videos down - we managed to get a version of the song in anyway)

So after Chris and I helped out with Devon and Joe's Zelda trailer, we decided to enter with our own trailer this time. We asked Lauren and Chris's fiance Jen to help out with a trailer we hoped would stand out from the rest (we assumed everyone was making comedies). And without further ado, here is what we produced:

We didn't win the competition, but still had a great time. Everyone was very friendly and inviting, we got to see some cool trailers, and I think it made us even more excited for next month. Speaking of which, next month's genre is "The Unnecessary Sequel!" That's it - no other rules other than it now must be under 3 minutes. Let's hope we can come up with something good!

DIY Air Conditioner

2009-07-29T14:04:00.001-07:00

We are hitting record temperatures right now in the (normally moderate) Pacific Northwest, so I thought some of you might find this useful. I might consider going out this weekend and picking these materials up, because my little place heats up like an oven.

You will need:
- A box fan
- (2) 1/4 Inch vinyl tubes (2-3 feet long)
- 1/4 copper tubing (10 feet or so)
- Aquarium water pump (make sure it can fit 1/4 vinyl tube on the end)
- A package of zipties
- Styrofoam ice cooler
- Scissors

A Team Tetris Retrospective

2009-07-20T00:13:00.001-07:00

First off, let me apologize for my severe slacking on the blog as of late... I don't have any excuses besides the fact that the laziness of summer has infected Bellingham and I've been a victim. Also, my car is sounding funny, I just had my wisdom teeth yanked, and I've been busy with a few video projects, as well as what you are seeing below.

Click the image above to be taken to a Flickr album of all the photos from this year. All photos by Lauren Miller.

Team Tetris debuted in 2004 in the Sedro-Woolley Loggerodeo Parade and we've been there ever since. Our main goal was to make the parade a more fun event for kids, and bring some familiar faces from the video game realm to Sedro-Woolley (something I would have loved when I was little). Plus, it's always fun for the participants as well. Somehow, we managed to wrangle up more people this year than I've ever dreamt possible, which was awesome!!! My niece Isabella even participated and had a great time :)

Here are some more shots from the event this year (click any image to be taken to Lauren's photo album):

And here's one of my niece Isabella, playing the part of Baby Peach! She did an awesome job and according to my sister Amy, she is already talking about next year!

Here are a couple group shots or video from the years past:

From 2008:

From 2007:

From 2006:

From 2005:

To become a fan of Team Tetris on Facebook and find out how YOU can get involved, click HERE!

The Legend of Zelda: The Missing Link Trailer

2009-06-28T21:08:00.000-07:00

Trailer Wars is a competition of local creative types who get together once a month and show off a trailer they created (for a movie that doesn't exist). Each month, there are certain rules set up, such as the genre and specific requirements (must have a vomit scene, must have puppets, etc.) set by the previous month's winner. I was excited to be asked to help out for this one; check it out!

Bellingham's Tribute to Michael Jackson

2009-06-26T15:28:00.000-07:00

This footage was shot last night at 11 PM in the heart of downtown Bellingham. These guys have done this before (last time was Halloween) and I was pretty impressed that they were able to pull this together again with such a large crowd with relatively short notice. I didn't film this, but I was there. The best part was definitely the homeless guy who comes in around 1:45 in the video. According to Lauren, who lives downtown, MJ's music was blasted with a crowd out there until about 2 AM!

Rest in peace, Michael!

Björk - Voltaic Preview

2009-06-19T14:48:00.000-07:00

This is almost too much! I can't believe BELLINGHAM has one of the only confirmed screenings so far!!!!!! Thank you Pickford Cinema! I was lucky enough to see this tour live on my birthday 2 years ago, but this DVD looks incredible!

Lost: The Sitcom! Season 1 Intro

2009-06-18T15:53:00.000-07:00

I wish I had thought to make this. Best clip I've seen all week by far:

Thanks for the heads up Lauren. If you liked it, click here for a bunch more.

Gamespeek Reunites for E3

2009-06-18T11:10:00.000-07:00

I know E3 was over two weeks ago, but I wanted to post this anyway. Back on June 5 (I know, I know, I am really late posting this) I got together with my fellow Gamespeek podcasters Chris and Lauren to talk about the announcements of this year's AWESOME E3 Expo. Unfortunately we didn't have the money or credentials to go this year, but who know, maybe we can finagle our way in next year. Meanwhile, give this a listen. It's been awhile since Gamespeek had recorded anything, so we had a good time.

Gamespeek: E3 News Recap

Gamespeek isn't dead. We plan on doing more audio and video whenever we get ideas or time, so check http://www.gamespeek.com often. Or add us to your google reader with our RSS Feed. We have some very cool stuff planned in the near future, so stay tuned.

The Crowd at a Rock Show

2009-06-10T14:50:00.000-07:00

Click the image for full-size.

Often I feel like 16. Sometimes 8, 9 or 10, as well... Maybe 5, too.

Happy 25th Birthday Tetris!!

2009-06-06T11:51:00.000-07:00

Still one of my favorite games of all time! Challenge me on my scores on facebook, I dare ya!

Even Google celebrated. Did you see this?

Beat-boxing MADNESS

2009-05-28T14:42:00.000-07:00

Holy crap. I had to share this. Do you think he had help by some post-production? Hands on a Korg perhaps?

My Golden Birthday

2009-05-27T17:05:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to check-in and let the blogosphere know that I am not dead. In fact, I am pretty stoked on life at the moment! My boyfriend has been in town from Birmingham, AL, for the last week or so, meaning that blogging has been close to the last thing on my mind.

Also, I just had my golden birthday yesterday, so I have officially entered my mid-to-late 20s! We celebrated by driving to Seattle last night to meet up with some friends, get some food and beer, and see Helms Alee perform. They were incredible as always and this time they played 4 or so new songs, some still instrumental. It was rad. Oddly enough, the show wasn't advertised much and the room was pretty empty when they played. Way more people showed up to see them the last two times I've seen them in Bellingham (see evidence here and here - can you spot me in both images?)

This performance is from almost two years ago in Wenatchee, WA:

Remix vs. Original

2009-05-18T18:06:00.000-07:00

Being somewhat of a musical purist, I am usually not too fond of remixes. Especially when people mess with Björk's music. She is no stranger to remixes either; she released an album of remixes called "Telegraph" and her singles almost always include remixes. I just never really like them.

Until now. Watch the original video for "Declare Independence" (directed by mastermind Michel Gondry) on top and then watch the remixed video and song. I like the remixed song and video much, much better. The original is probably my least favorite song on "Volta," so I guess this isn't too surprising. Anyway, check out the remix (below the original version) and how much better it is.

What remixes do you like more than the original?

The Pixelator

2009-05-18T18:01:00.000-07:00

How cool is this? This video makes me want to create some sort of art installation using a lot of televisions and a lot of pixelators.

From their web site, http://jasoneppink.com/pixelator/

"Pixelator is an unauthorized on-going video art performance collaboration with the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority, Clear Channel Communications, and its selected artists.

Since 2003, the MTA has made available for exhibition purposes 80 LED screens located at subway entrances across New York City. Unfortunately, the high cost of exhibiting (an estimated $274,000 per month per screen) prevents most artists from having access to these facilities. While the MTA's effort to create more opportunities for video art exhibition in public spaces is to be commended, selected works remain wholly fixated on commercial goods and media conglomerate events, a short-sighted curatorial choice that regrettably ignores the full potential of these promising exhibition spaces.

In an attempt to broaden the scope of MTA's video art series, Pixelator takes video pieces currently on display and diffuses them into a pleasant array of 45 blinking, color-changing squares. Since the project is an anonymous collaboration, the resulting video is almost entirely unplanned and unanticipated, with the original artists helping to create new works of art without any knowledge of their participation.

(Translation: Pixelator turns those ugly, blinding video billboard ads into art.)'

X-Men X-Travaganza

2009-05-06T09:24:00.000-07:00

It just came to my attention this morning that my favorite cartoon growing up, and the reason I got into comic books as a kid, was recently released on DVD! X-Men, volume 1 and volume 2, are available now on Amazon.com for only $17.99 each. I have very fond memories of this cartoon, especially since the movies were all disappointing. They plan on releasing at least two more volumes to finish up the entire series. The only bummer? No commentary or any extra features :(

I was also thinking today about how awesome it would be to see the original X-Men Arcade game on Xbox Live Arcade. Honestly, they wouldn't have to touch up the graphics or anything - just include 6-player online support and it would sell like hotcakes. It was never released on any home console and really deserves a release...

And lastly, the awesome Angry Video Game Nerd posted his review of the classic X-Men and Wolverine games on the NES, plus a brief look at the Genesis games:

Ms. Pac-Man Nikes

2009-05-04T22:50:00.000-07:00

I would totally sport these Ms. Pac-Man inspired Nike Dunks if I had the spare money. Unfortunately, I am sure they'll be expensive and hard to find. Select retailers will be carrying them in May, so hit up your favorite shoe boutique or pre-order at UNIV.

(original Kotaku.com story here)

Torche - Healer & Across the Shields (videos!)

2009-05-04T13:52:00.000-07:00

Ever since I received Torche's "Healer / Across the Shields" record, I've been itching to post the music videos that came with it on DVD. Well, finally someone ripped them to youtube and "Across the Shields" is now a featured video on Myspace Music. So check em out already!!

Torche - Headbangers Ball - MTV Shows

Tiptoeing through the Tulips

2009-05-01T18:14:00.000-07:00

I made my first trip to the Skagit Valley tulip fields last night. Ever year, thousands of tourists from all over the world visit Skagit Valley for the Tulip Festival. I've lived in Skagit and Whatcom counties most of my life and never bothered to make the trip. I was in the area with my sister, niece and nephew, so we decided to get off I-5 and take a look around. The best part of the visiting the tulips is the photos. Unfortunately I only had my Sidekick with me, but my sister Angela took some better shots with her digital SLR.

Marvel vs. Capcom 2 on XBLA!

2009-05-01T16:45:00.000-07:00

When Street Fighter II HD Remix came out on XBLA, every serious gamer wondered, "What about MvC2?" because that's the game we all really wanted. Well, Capcom has finally granted our wish and announced the release of the game over Xbox Live Arcade and PS3 Store. And the unusual part? They are making every single character from the game available from the start! Quite an attitude change from the recently released Street Fighter IV.

This game is the main reason I bought a Sega Dreamcast back in the day. I have many fond memories of playing this game with friends for hours during my first year of college. That opening theme music while selecting your characters always drove us crazy. I am glad they are keeping that in tact, for nostalgia's sake.

Check out the (sorta cheesy) trailer below:

Sleeveface is awesome!!!

2009-04-24T17:26:00.000-07:00

Check out this site, http://www.sleeveface.com. I want to submit one!!!

Trial - The Vera Project in Seattle - 4/22/09

2009-04-24T16:15:00.000-07:00

What an awesome and crazy show. I love standing just behind where the stage-divers land so I don't get hurt, but I still get to witness the craziness up front. At least one guy got totally knocked out and another had a bloody face or nose. I know it sounds cheesy, but singer Greg Bennick spoke between songs about a lot of things important to the band, like using the energy and feeling from a show like that one to inspire yourself and transform the world around you. He talked about the Vera Project and how that venue is living proof that we can all find inspiration in ideas and make them into something real. For the most part, he keeps a very positive edge to his message which is rare in hardcore. If he was some sort of atheist minister, I'd totally go to his church. The dude knows how to speak and how to motivate.

I only got 3.5 hours of sleep the next night before working, but it was totally worth it. This was my second time seeing them, and they are easily the most intense, inspirational band in the history of hardcore (as I know it, anyway).

Here's the night's setlist I nabbed from http://xstuckinthepastx.blogspot.com