Starbucks and Fries

I had pretty much hit the wall today @ work when a friendly voice said to me "your getting Starbucks and Fries". 'Freakin score' I thought to myself. I was dog tired and in need of a pick me up...thanks Tom. The Starbucks and Fries came about a half hour later.

I sipped on the Starbucks and sampled a fry. Ah they were fries from one of those mom and pop places the kind with the ridges and just the right amount of seasoning salt. I ate one I ate two, I took a sip of Starbucks. A mint flavored frap with whipped cream and red sprinkles on top 'ah how Christmasy' I thought. I grabbed another fry and went back to work. Update this, change that, remove them, call her, ignore him, look ate this shit, did i do that?.....It's all just another day at work and I can't help but love it............

........So this weekend I went down to Sandrini's on Saturday Night. Joel, the old guitarist from Gramercy Riff was playin his first show with his new band-Get Back Warchild (...Seriously..) To tell you the truth at one point in the night I had decided not to go to the show. Why? I don't know I make dumb decisions like that all the time. I think my reasoing was 'oh I'll catch their next show' but then I was also thinking 'man what if this ends up being their only show?' At any rate M-Kay sent me a text "did you go home already?"

"Yes" I text back

Then she responded "Just got to Sandrini's with NL they haven't started yet, you wanna come back".

Hmm I thought I called her and she said they were still setting up so I put my shoes back on and hauled ass down there.

I got there and the place was packed almost every table was full and seating at the bar was pretty scarce. NL holla'd from a table near the front, I went over and took his seat next to M-Kay. NL went up to the stage so he could get some video footage for his blog. I chatted with M-Kay and anxiously awaited the start of the show.

"I feel like a little kid, I'm so excited" I told M-Kay. The rush of the fast drive, the crowd and the upcoming set were starting to take over my mood. Joel and his band-a three piece took their time tuning up and plugging in. I gotta feeling Joel had to have a few butterflies in his gut. I don't care how many times you take the stage the first time with a new crew behind you has got to be nerve wrecking.

I saw Joels last band go from screamo, pop gods to misunderstood post Cobain disciples in a span of two years when bands like them, Stereotactic, Altimara and Diary ran the scene out of the basement at Jerry's. It had been about a year since the last time a saw Joel play live rith the Riff trading guitar licks with Jeff the Riff's other guitarist. What was this band going to sound like I kept thinking to myself. The lights went out, Joel stepped to the mic and thanked to crowd. It was time to find out.

Machin gun like drums! Joel starts stangeling his guitar, the bassist started pulling on his bass then screamed an inaudible shriek into the mic. WTF is this I thought to myself. In 15 seconds Get Back Warchild had just taken this new wave of music back 5 years and a screamo band was struggling to find it's voice. I watched in silence not knowing what to say. Just then the music stopped and Joel laughed into the mic "we're just fucking around" I breathed a sigh of relief oh man the joke was on us, he got us good I'll admit.

I don't know what to say about the show that followed. All I know is I really enjoyed it. Joel traded lead vocal duties with the bassist who it turns out had a pretty decent voice himself it was a balanced counter point to Joels Gaelic cries and some solid bass liks too. Their drummer seemed on but tended to rush but then again what drummer doesn't? Joel is still a genius at turning distortion into sound he's up there with Colin of the Get Up Get Down as far as I'm concerned. I'm JR I'm out.