For the love of gawd...

I was sitting there at work, and taking a little bloggie break and came across the blog comment stream from the Westword Music Showcase Awards show.  Some of it is really funny, most of it is really annoying.  NOW I am going to add my two cents because seriously I am itching to do something right now and mocking the anonymous posters kinda is my forte'. But not under any guise of a fake name or anything.  Here it is in all it's glory....

Man up and use your real name already first of all. You don't like someone that won? Should have cast more votes for YOUR friends or your favorites.  Simple enough.  Any awards ceremony usually is based on a popularity contest.  Simple truth. You aren't stating anything but the obvious when you post a comment saying that.  The voting (and the party for that matter) was open to the public.

I just posted something to a different post and came up short of putting my phone number into the fields... that is how straight up I want to be.  Transparency is really good if you want to have any credibility. 

Certainly I know how comments are tracked and considering I am at work, the posted comment will track to my work IP and company it would be very hard for anyone at Westword to not totally know that it is me posting. 

That being said.. .if anyone knows when Sengers auction (they are no longer in business) is happening let me know. 

Ok so back to my point...

I was at the Showcase Awards event.  I went to the Showcase itself, I saw bands that I knew didn't venture out... the couches at Sutra were really comfortable, what can I say? Ok I did see one band that I hadn't ever seen before so there. I was THRILLED to see the bands that I did get to see, missed seeing The Fluid but standing under a tree in a torential downpour predicated us without umbrellas to go to the main stage. That is a little regret. BUT... I am not whining to Westword on a blog about the weather.  How dare the producers of the program not provide me with an umbrella.  Sha. As if.

But I got called "lady" by the lead singer of The Photo Atlas which was really quite endearing I have to say. I took pictures of Git Some under a mirror ball in a dance club. I got some free Red Bull. I saw Magic Cyclops sing a Ramones song. I chilled with friends.  Wee.  Total win for me.

We went to the VIP area.  Some one bitched about it being full of hipsters and what what did that guy say... oh he just called out some people by name.  Well anyways... trust me when I say it was nice to have a light snack of BBQ (but barely finger food) and the line for the drinks was not worth the time.  Even the promoters stood in line.  You missed nothing Mr. so and so and hoose its what,  by not standing on that side of the barricade.  Oh wait there were a couple of iced down buckets of free redbull (and I did snag another one). Seriously... next time you see me Mister Bitterness come up to me, I will give you five bucks to make up for the half a shot of vodka the ticket got you and make you wait the 20 minutes we did for the drink just so you get to have the "full experience" you know what... I will even try and find you.... OH WAIT I CAN'T you posted anonymously. 

Trust me you were better off on the other side of the "green room" you so desperately wanted to get into.  I am grateful for getting into the event and being treated well, the little snackie was great but stop bitching because there were "media types" there.  Sorry media fuels the business you so desperately post about, obviously you fancy yourself wanting to be one of them.  Start a fucking blog and post about the scene.  Show us what you are doing to make it what you soooooo desperately want it to be. But don't hide behind the name "dicksucker", grow up.  I saw plenty of band members, many who I know there. I saw many radio personalities.  I saw DJ's, I saw MC's.  I saw photographers.  It wasn't that exclusive.  So don't you dare say it wasn't open to the band members. You are full of it.  

Now... I of course have to disclose... almost all the local music ...no ALL the local music that I have seen in the past year and a half has been at the pleasure of Westword.  So because of that... I didn't vote.  I feel like I am biased.  I have met some of the kindest, dearest and nicest people because of Westword and the Denver music scene.  There is no getting around this fact, things would be very very different for me had Westword and a certain writer/editor had not come back into my life.  BUT ... stop bitching that you didn't win or your friends didn't, maybe you didn't post enough votes at the showcase there were ballot boxes at every venue. Me thinks you have Sour grapes some of you comment posters.

The Awards ceremony was fun.  At 7:30 the doors opened to the public, this was not a closed event. Get over it.  And yes when the Jameson ran out, we moved onto Absolut and when that ran out we moved onto the Malibu.  Whatever.  Open bar is open bar and a gift, stop looking it in the mouth and be grateful.  Moes served up a delicious bevy of food (I loves me their beans and corn bread, this is true).  ..


You aren't happy with the fact that Horse won and Taun Taun didn't?  Well the voters disagree with YOU obviously.  I personally like Taun Taun better myself but didn't raise a huff... and Mike Marchant didn't win... ok that was a little bit of a big ole bummer sure.  Houses didn't win? I know right? But I am not posting a bitter diatribe about how Westword sucks and it's fake. Bitter fruit is best left alone.  Perhaps I am in fact pouring fuel on the fire, but I read the thread and seriously thought... wow these DJs/Ipod spinners/digital mixers are all really up in each other's craw about the "non traditional dj award" and mean. No wonder no one likes to see them... they are self centered ass holes.  But I think it runs deeper.  There might be hurt feelings involved. So Fecher won....start your own festival at Red Rocks.  Befriend "the media" and maybe you can get a nomination and win, I think he won because he knows lots and lots of people. I don't say that because I am merely one of them but how many club nights does he have out there? Certainly Rockstar Aaron is mixing it up around town and should have been nominated (that is one thing I have to agree with... he does a couple nights a week and the few times I have seen him, I have gotten up and danced). 

This is perhaps the best way to wrap it up> Sin from Primasonic (a band who gave me their cd for free at a show...which was very sweet I want to add) posted this.  This was a gracious shout out to a category winner from someone nominated in the same catagory. Here is another good point.

The one thing I took away from the night outside of seeing some really great people that I do consider friends was the amazing Denver Music scene pretty much all in one room.  That was thrilling for me.

I won't get over getting bit on the face though by someone that should know better than to cross that line, but that is another story... oh and the only thing really that I am bitter about. 

So since it is a Friday night in Denver, there are amazing shows to see...if you are looking for me... you'll find me at the Meadowlark for Velvet Cash and Bad Luck City... then Glob maybe?  I don't know. And yes... seriously... Thank you Westword. That you Westword for it all.  I would be sitting on my couch probably watching tv it wasn't for you, your people that are working all the time to bring the best coverage to your readers, and your amazing coverage and love for this town's great music scene. Sorry there are haters. You can count me in on the opposite side of that spectrum. 

Now lets go get some bbq and makers and call a truce!

Wilco (the show recollection)

Wilco  
Opener Okkervil River  
Red Rocks Amphitheater  
July 3, 2009

What can I say? I had a great time. I buzzed hard about it all week. I was actually a little worried that I had built up myself to such hype that it wouldn't live up to what I wished for in my head. Well I really enjoyed myself and the performance. So it was totally worth making myself hyped up about it.


From the opening strains of the Price is Right theme (I have yet to figure that one out actually) to Albert the Camel (ok maybe not THE Albert the Camel) walking across the stage when the band was getting ready to watching performers who looked more like they were having a great time (instead of some that seem as if they are going through the motions) to even the chick standing next to us whistling after every song really loudly to the unabashed beauty of seeing a show at Red Rocks under a full moon. Every moment was pretty much terrific.

We went up a little early after being slammed by a torential rain storm down in Denver so that we could get up to the upper lot for a dinner reservation up at the restaurant there.  We got a parking spot in the upper lot after the parking attendant said the place was full, but eyeballed a spot at the end of an aisle for us, it was a nice gesture and I want that noted. The kid totally could have made us turn around and drive all the way to a lower lot, but hooked us up, thanks parking lot attendant dude.  We were walking through the lot and saw about 20 spaces... now they were taken up by tail gaters but seriously... couldn't they have set up in less space?  We got a spot so we weren't complaining but it came off as a little presumptuous that their barbecue was more important that someone parking.

We walked up a couple flights of stairs (much much better than a mile up a hill and nearly 200 stairs believe me... I walked up about 20 stairs and jokingly stopped and said to F I needed to take a break, I think that he thought I was serious, then I looked over and saw Downtown and was glad that I stopped even if it was for a joke because the view was stunning), we checked through the gates and went down to the Ship Rock Grille.  NOW do not get me wrong I am going to be a little critical.. shocker I know but ... bear with me.....  Everyone was very friendly and they were gracious to us, but the dinner was not very good. The "brisket" was compressed rib meat with a slathering of sauce out of can.  But in honor of Nels Cline we got the Cline Cellars Syrah (I am sure there is no relation and was actually pretty good and under $30 on the menu which was very surprising, they could have gouged the price but didn't, certainly a retail bottle of wine that costs about $12 but tastes much more expensive could have been marked up even higher but wasn't). I came back from the bathroom and there was a creme brulee on the table.  F absolutely made me so happy with that. It was such a surprise and was actually quite delicious. He is a good one... I don't joke when I say that he is a keeper.  He knows just the little things that make me so happy.  I am lucky lucky lucky.   

The show started and Okkervil River came out.  

They were ok, a little mopey and it was a little underwhelming.  But the crowd really did enjoy what they were putting out. There was a guy standing in the row in front of us that knew all the words to the songs and sang along.  It was endearing.  But I was still a little bored.

 

Wilco came out and absolutely blew my mind.  When I saw them in May of last year I was absolutely blown away. There was a point in that show where everything "clicked" and I became an instant fan.  This night was very different.  See I am a fan.  I listen to their records almost weekly and know the songs where I didn't before.  So I was more into the show than I was before. 

I took over 200 pictures from our spot about midway up (and most are on my flickr...go there to see most of em). I was singing along to "I am Trying to Break Your Heart" and watching the glow sticks fly down over the crowd. Some numbnut was tossing them out over the crowd.  I remember thinking... here is a guy that doesn't love his fellow crowd by pelting them in the head with glowsticks... this ain't no rave buddy.

Finally I was able to stand and enjoy the show. The band was having a great time, you could just see it on their faces.  Nels was kicking ass. Tweedy seemed to have less of a rasp on his voice than previous shows I had heard.  There were fireworks going off on the front range in the background (it was Fourth of July weekend afterall).

  

There were plenty of Rock Star Moments as well. 

 

Favorites from the night include:
Impossible Germany, which is an amazing song and GREAT live.
Handshake Drugs
Everlasting Everything to which I took video (but didn't catch the beginning of so I will consider posting it later... maybe)
Ashes of American Flags - the bells just slay me every time, when watching the dvd I had to stop it several times because I just wanted to marinate in the beauty
Spiders (Kidsmoke) - I even clapped my hands in the air for a bit
Hoodoo Voodoo and it was great seeing the kids come out and play and the hugs at the end were endearing as hell...proof they were having a great time


Here is the online review from Westword of the show with some other pictures.  Here is another review from Cause = Time with some great photos.



As we were walking to the car I was thinking... this is a much much different show than seeing them last time.  I enjoyed myself so much both times and for very different reasons.  This time I knew the music so much better so I was able to more fully appreciate it. I enjoyed the show from about mid range in the amphitheater, not too loud, not too raucous, not too crowded... it was just right.  I had great company with me and certainly it was nice to have F there because there were a couple songs that I didn't know right off the bat that he helped me remember.  He sent me a link to a download of the show as there were several tapers there so now I can relive the night when ever I want.   I am glad that I do because each show I see they seem to just get better and better and reaching that pinnacle of greatness.  It's great to hear and I am glad I was there for the ride.

And so you can see how great they were, here is a link to Handshake Drugs the levels are all sorts of loud so turn your speakers down... but its nice.