So much live music action,

so little time.

Up high on my list of things to appreciate about Chapel Hill is unquestionably the reality that, for a cosy college town, there are plenty of excellent live shows going down.

Look at this four day period for evidence, friend:

Last Night:

Orange County Social Club "Acoustic Jams"
with former Lion named Pedro David Bazan and Jeremy Chatelain (Jets to Brazil, Cub Country).

We Are Scientists
Art Brut
Spinto Band
Doors: 8:00pm
Show: 9:00pm
ORDER TICKETS
$12

TUE, SEPT 19
M. Ward
Lambchop w/ The Tosca String Quartet
Portastatic
Doors: 7:30pm
Show: 8:00pm
ORDER TICKETS
$14

WED, SEPT 20
Calexico music
Oakley Hall
Doors: 8:30pm
Show: 9:15pm
ORDER TICKETS
$14

THU, SEPT 21
Jose Gonzalez music / video
Death Vessel music

THU, SEPT 21
Sufjan Stevens w/ My Brightest Diamond

I'm really looking forward to M. Ward/Lambchop/Portastatic . . . all three have been in heavy rotation for the past few weeks.

What else?

Lots of picture taking, big plans to collaborate with Mondomarc on more hip hop stuff, enjoying the idea that the Berlin winter is not looming over myself and my posse, trying to adjust to being a "soccer papa" amidst people who could actually play the role of the "fanatical soccer dad" in an upcoming made-for-tv-mini-series, sad to hear that the neo-nazis continue to gain support in the former east, happy to have run into Brian the other day at Cafe Driade, looking forward the three days in NYC early next month.

I was in Miami last week for a few days, and amazed by the ratio of fake breasts to real breasts, not that I'm an expert at knowing the difference but still.

I'm thinking about buying an exercize bike but maybe this awesome stenciled picture will do the trick.

Random Lows

Myspace Invades, Launches Pods:

Does this make Myspace the largest record label in the world?

Down with Whatever and Stuff but not Israel!

If you've been thinking about becomming an "anti-German communist," this might be the time to make your move. You know, like before somebody figures out exactly what any of this means.

Chapel Hill Residents Imbedded in a Pinko Haven!

Or so The Economist would have you believe.

Impeaching Bushes, Persuading Peaches

Like everybody and their mama, I liked the first Peaches joint. It said something to me beyond the naughtiness (not that the naughtiness itself was not saying something), and I appreciated the aesthetic. When she did it again with Fatherfucker, only not as good, I thought: "Well, at least she's sticking to her guns and stuff." The recent "Impeach my Bush," however, crosses the line but not in the way that people like Peaches should be crossing lines, if you can see where I'm coming from. It's always been fascinating to me how some artists keep it going - never really faltering (much) while taking risks along the way - and others get stuck in one pattern or another, and just kind of stay there. I've always thought that Stephen Malkmus could make a great hip-hop/rap album, for example. Is someone going to tell Peaches it's time for an album of children's songs, or a collaboration with Willie Nelson? David Byrne comes to mind as a good example. He has a sometimes great blog here.

Berlin to Chapel Hill

I was previously blogging here, and am considering blogging here.

These are my favorite Chapel Hill-based blogs so far, in no particular order:

http://www.orangepolitics.org/
http://www.portastatic.blogspot.com/
http://slatherpuss.blogspot.com/

Upcoming shows:

Tonight = Shellac
Friday = Superchunk