PAWS playing The Crepe Place (Santa Cruz)

PAWS. They like things intimate, which worked perfectly in a location like The Crepe Place.  The crowd was pressed close, they themselves moved closer to the crowd.  That last sentence seems to contradict, but I think it works.

This band hails from Glasgow.  That's Scotland.  Yet, I couldn't help but think this band would be a big hit at The Smell (Los Angeles).  This band's music speeds you into hyper-energy.  Admittedly, in a tight space like The Crepe Place there wasn't much of a stage show, but when the bassist bangs his head against a hanging lamp and breaks a bass string (how often does that happen?) one can only imagine how awesome their stage shows must be at a larger venue.

For their last song, the drummer from Total Slacker set up his drum set and we got a thrill of seeing two drummers going at it.

They had fun with some puns.  Since The Crepe Place is a restaurant that serves crepes, they decided to come up with menu options such as The Crepes of Wrath.

Total Slacker at The Crepe Place (Santa Cruz)

Total Slacker. This past week marked five workweeks in the Santa Cruz area.  It took awhile, but I finally went out to explore the Santa Cruz local music scene.  The band I decided to see is Total Slacker.  They were playing at a local restaurant called The Crepe Place.  For some reason, the stage area reminded me of Casey's in Downtown Los Angeles.  Intimate, fashioned to make you think of a by-gone era and just off from the main dining area (or in the case of Casey's, the bar area).

Total Slacker is on tour, hailing from New York.  Their Facebook page describes their sound as slimegaze.  Elsewhere, it is described as garage pop and psychedelic rock.  I like psychedelic rock.  The band has a steady and prominent timed beat that seems to structure their sound.  And they have a cool fuzzy sound.

I was approached during a break between sets.  I was asked if I was taking photos for myself or someone else.  I replied I was taking photos for Total Slacker.  I asked if he happened to be the owner of The Crepe Place.  He said no and that he was just happy to see someone out doing photography in the Santa Cruz music scene.

          

My Movie Rankings: Summer 2014

Cream of the Crop -- Maybe even Oscar worthy.

Edge of Tomorrow
Begin Again
Boyhood
A Most Wanted Man

Solid -- They'll make you laugh, they'll hold your attention.

22 Jump Street
Chef
X-Men:  Days of Future Past
Dawn of the Planets of the Apes
Neighbors
Godzilla

Bad  -- Save your cash and your time.

Lucy
Maleficent

A Movie Review: Lucy

Lucy. Lucy starts her day in Taiwan with a bit of bad luck. A "friend" wants her to enter a hotel to deliver a briefcase. The briefcase is filled with a new powerful drug.  The individual she ends up delivering to is a powerful drug lord.  He decides that instead of immediately killing her upon delivery, he'll also use her as a drug mule.  A bag of the drug is put into her body.  The bag springs a leak and she overdoses.  Well, instead of dying from the overdose, the drug stimulates her brain to a much higher level.

I had problems with this movie.  I hated all the sidebars that indicates how Luc Besson views life.  For example, going back in time to view the first humans.  Or those moments when Lucy is interacting with her "friend" and we get inserts of an animal hunting for food in Africa.  Obviously, Lucy is the hunted.  Was this just a way to add 5 minutes to the movie so that you could get to 90 minutes?      

Under the Dome (TV series): What irritated me this season

I suppose there are spoilers below, but by this point (I figure) most everyone who watches Under the Dome has finished watching all the episodes.

I've been watching this season and half the time I was thinking, "Why am I watching this show?"

The Big Jim character has to be the most irritating.  He starts the season out as sort of a bad guy, then sort of a good guy, then sort of a bad guy, and on and on.  He doesn't come across as one of those conflicted guys, which could provide you some context to his actions.  He's just poorly written or perhaps too dependent on the source material.

And then considering we've only been through a handful of weeks, people seem to have a very short memory.  Big Jim attempts to hang Barbie, but within days all seems forgiven.  Sam kills Angie and the only consequence so far is a fight.  Rebecca and Big Jim conspire to kill off a sizable portion of the population and many still look to Big Jim for leadership?

Junior is basically a psychopath who happens to have the hottest girl under the dome falling for him.  And isn't is just a bit too Jerry Springer-like when this hot girl happens to be his mother's best friend?

And then what's up with some of the smaller details.

In the episode "Heads will Roll" when the dome becomes magnetized:  as metal objects are flying towards the dome, one can clearly see a metal fence unaffected.

In "Black Ice," Barbie and Julia are freezing to death.  Lyle finally pops up from the Red Door portal and survives just fine even though he is in freezing waters and isn't wearing the warmest cloths.

Aagh!!!

P.S.  I did find the season final interesting.  I love how Big Jim got inspired by Stephen King's The Shining.

The Moth and the Flame at Tarfest

The Moth and the Flame. A tinge of the psychedelic presented by a band that looks like it would be very comfortable at a truck stop. Interestingly, they ended their set with a glorious melody driven song.

Dwntwn at Tarfest

Dwntwn. I can't get enough of this band. And that applies to a lot of folks. At Tarfest, this band was the largest draw. And with a touch of encouragement, the crowd came to the stage.  After their set, a line began to form of fans wanting to get their pictures taken with the band.  And why not, this band has some of the sweetest sounds.

Tapioca and the Flea at Tarfest

Tapioca and the Flea. A group of friends were in the audience for this band.  In fact, from different circles that perhaps interact via Twitter or Facebook or other social network.  As I waited for the band, a young lady approached another and introduced herself, "It is nice to finally meet you in person."

The band had fun interacting with their friends while on stage.  One of the guys in the band halfheartedly encouraged two young women to dance on the speakers.  They declined.  This band likes to have some fun.

 

The Dead Ships at Tarfest

The Dead Ships. As the Los Angeles temperatures peaked, The Dead Ships took the stage with elevated vocals and stage intensity.

A Movie Review: A Most Wanted Man

A Most Wanted Man. Issa Karpov (Grigoriy Dobrygin) has illegally entered into Germany.  There is fear that he is a terrorist. Günther Bachmann (Philip Seymour Hoffman) takes the investigative lead in attempting to determine his true intentions.  Annabel Richter (Rachel McAdams) comes to the support of Issa Karpov from a legal perspective.

This is a well crafted movie.  The movie dives into investigations, rivalries, and good intentions.

I do have one issue with the movie and that is Annabel Richter.  She is "arrested" and put into a holding cell.  After what seems like a few hours, she consents to betray Issa Karpov.  Isn't she his lawyer?  Shouldn't she have held out longer?  And why was she willing to trust this government agency?

A Random Encounter in Santa Cruz

I'm working in the Santa Cruz area for a little while.

So I usually eat dinner in Santa Cruz.

I was walking towards my rental car after dinner.  Two young women were walking towards me.  I noticed that they held pamphlets.  I immediately thought, "They're Scientologists."  This shows my bias:  I'm from Los Angeles.  They were attractive.  From my interaction with Scientologist, I always have this impression that their proselytizers are very beautiful.

The most attractive of the women came up to me with a pamphlet held up, "I am from The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints.  Have you heard of us?"

And then I started to laugh.  I couldn't stop.  She asked, "Why are you laughing?"  I just couldn't tell her that it was because my presumption had just gotten blown out of the water.

2014 Archive Photos: ZiBBs (Brokechella)

Well, as luck will have it, I'm heading out of Los Angeles for awhile due to work so I'll be going through some archival photos for awhile.

ZiBBZ.

2014 Archive Photos: The Singles (Brokechella)

Well, as luck will have it, I'm heading out of Los Angeles for awhile due to work so I'll be going through some archival photos for awhile.

The Singles.

2014 Archive Photos: Kitchen Hips (Brokechella)

Well, as luck will have it, I'm heading out of Los Angeles for awhile due to work so I'll be going through some archival photos for awhile.

Kitchen Hips.

Dorothy at Chinatown Moon Festival

Dorothy. I first saw Dorothy a few weeks back at Bootleg HiFi.  I just knew I had to see her again as soon as possible.  I just love her Sunset Strip vibes.  And so I got a chance to see her at the Chinatown Moon Festival.  I wasn't the only one eager to see her.  The crowd was pressed close to the stage.  Fans had huge smiles on their faces.  One just gets won over by her.

Mosco Rosco at Chinatown Moon Festival

Mosco Rosco. Maybe a little bit too much TMI with kids in the crowd:  sex outdoors was a topic of conversation.  But hey, they like to get you dancing, which sometimes leads to sex they say.

A dream: The Avengers and Vampires

I was walking in a world in destruction.  Vampires were roaming the streets.  I was killing them as necessary.  Very easily, I must say.  I was a vampire hunter.  Then I turned a corner.  Their they were, The Avengers.  They introduced themselves one at a time -- though for some reason Iron Man wasn't there.  I was now a member of The Avengers and we were off to free the world of Vampires.

And then I woke up.

A dream: a possible movie scrip in there

A young man is on an island.  He's well off, because he faked his kidnapping.  His parents paid the bribe, which actually ended up in his pockets.

A young woman is on the same island.  She had previously tracked an elderly couple who were transporting a briefcase filled with government bonds.  She stole the briefcase and was now hanging out on the island.

At that same moment, a phone call came through to a shady figure.  He was told to kidnap these two individuals.

And then just as the dream was getting exciting I woke up.

2014 Archive Photos: Maxim Ludwig (Bootleg HiFi)

Well, as luck will have it, I'm heading out of Los Angeles for awhile due to work so I'll be going through some archival photos for awhile.

Maxim Ludwig.

2014 Archive Photos: Moses Sumney (Bootleg HiFi)

Well, as luck will have it, I'm heading out of Los Angeles for awhile due to work so I'll be going through some archival photos for awhile.

Moses Sumney.

2014 Archive Photos: Chantal Claret (The Satellite)

Well, as luck will have it, I'm heading out of Los Angeles for awhile due to work so I'll be going through some archival photos for awhile.

Chantal Claret.

2014 Archive Photos: The Janks (Viper Room)

Well, as luck will have it, I'm heading out of Los Angeles for awhile due to work so I'll be going through some archival photos for awhile.

The Janks.

2014 Archive Photos: The Janks (Viper Room)

Well, as luck will have it, I'm heading out of Los Angeles for awhile due to work so I'll be going through some archival photos for awhile.

The Janks.

2014 Archive Photos: The Shakers (Viper Room)

Well, as luck will have it, I'm heading out of Los Angeles for awhile due to work so I'll be going through some archival photos for awhile.

The Shakers.

2014 Archive Photos: Little Wild (The Viper Room)

Well, as luck will have it, I'm heading out of Los Angeles for awhile due to work so I'll be going through some archival photos for awhile.

Little Wild.

2014 Archive Photos: Busy Living (The Satellite)

Well, as luck will have it, I'm heading out of Los Angeles for awhile due to work so I'll be going through some archival photos for awhile.

Busy Living

2014 Archive Photos: FIM (The Satellite)

Well, as luck will have it, I'm heading out of Los Angeles for awhile due to work so I'll be going through some archival photos for awhile.

FIM.

2014 Archive Photos: Gentlemen Hall (The Satellite)

Well, as luck will have it, I'm heading out of Los Angeles for awhile due to work so I'll be going through some archival photos for awhile.

Gentlemen Hall.

Wisappear and James Alan at Bootleg HiFi

It was a bit strange being inside a local music venue without my camera, but that was how it went down. That didn't mean I couldn't enjoy some music.

Wisappear has that Echo Park/Silver Lake vibe with a touch of the occasional Led Zeppelin.  Sometimes they put on a stage show.  Sometimes they just let their music speak on its own.

James Alan. He has a Moses Sumney vibe to him. He did mention towards the end of his set that he is friends with Moses Sumney.

Comment of the set (James Alan):  I play a lot to myself in front of the mirror.  That does funny things to your head.

Story of the set (James Alan):  He was in Italy on vacation.  He decided to randomly play his guitar (a guitar he bought in Italy) late one night outdoors.  A woman plopped herself next to him, which he found strange since there weren't a lot of people outside at that time of night.  He started to play one of his songs and she suddenly started to sing along with him.  She had lived in Italy for 3 months (I'm assuming she arrived from Los Angeles though James didn't go into details).  What are the chances of someone knowing one of his songs in Italy and that person sitting next to him late one night.