ex hex

April 13-23, 2015

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Um.

Spent most of the week after Full Frame recovering from Full Frame. Did manage to make it out to see Inter Arma at the Pinhook – it was a good reminder of the life of the touring musician. They put out a nearly universally acclaimed debut album on Relapse in 2013, played a packed Lincoln Theatre at Hopscotch that year. And in April 2015 they played their asses off to a crowd of ~40 people on a Tuesday at the Pinhook.

My folks were coming to town on Saturday the 18th, Record Store Day, so the rest of the week was spent either cleaning house or getting ready for our simulcast of the big party at Chaz’s Bull City Records. Between Merge & the Record Store Day website, I was concerned that we’d get a flood of streaming listeners, so we shelled out for a month of third-party stream hosting (via ShoutCheap).

Apparently people are busy doing other things on beautiful Saturday afternoons in April, though – I think we peaked at maybe 40 listeners online, or less than half of what we’ve gotten at each of our Hopscotch/3 Lobed day parties. 

There were a ton of actual physical people at the actual physical show – I was impressed at how many humans can fit comfortably into Chaz’s parking lot. It looks so tiny when you’re parking your car in it. Good reminder that cars take up ridiculously large amounts of space that could otherwise be used for much cooler things.

Ex Hex totally blew me away, in welcome contrast to every time I had seen them before. Although I went back & listened to the recording of the show and was less impressed. They’re definitely a band you need to see up close & in person. Or on record. Love that record.

Sunday we watched the first episode of the new season of Orphan Black. It was pretty wretched, moreso even than the end of last season. Oh well. 

Gonna have to just shorthand the rest of this week, because I’m supposed to be packing to drive to Virginia.

High points:

Low points:

  • The crappy no-guitars mix at this week’s Sleater-Kinney show
  • The Back Porch Music-heavy lineup for this year’s Duke Performances Music in the Gardens series
  • Local businesses who try to crowdfund the purchase of luxury items (a pool table, for a barber shop) with “rewards” like “Hugs” for $75 donations.
  • The pitch timer

April 13-23, 2015

Saturday, October 4, 2014

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Cold front came through. Day started at like 63, peaked at around 71, and is currently headed towards the mid 40s overnight. Humidity dropped, sky became a fabulous blue:

Spent the morning installing a new smart wi-fi enabled, internet connected thermostat. To replace our older smart wi-fi enabled, internet connected thermostat. This involved (for reasons too complicated & ultimately boring to go into here) climbing around inside a closet, and splicing a bunch of thermostat wires.

I didn’t have any small wire nuts, so for once in my life I walked across the street to Public Hardware. *And* they had more or less what I was looking for. I mean, they always have more or less what you’re looking for, but in this case it was actually pretty close to right.

Went to Geer St, sat at the bar next to the open door, shivered when the wind blew through the building, ate a burger. First shivers of the fall, I guess. 

Spent the afternoon & evening in Carrboro. Bowbarr to sit outside & catch up on gossip. Gourmet Kingdom. Cat’s Cradle for the Girls Rock NC 10th Anniversary Rally. So much good energy. 

Cosmic Punk may or may not still be in high school – they’re the only alumni band who played – but in any case, they were 5x better than when I saw them in March:

Silent Lunch were at least 3x better tonight than they were a month ago at Hopscotch, and maybe that’s practice, or maybe that’s just what happens when you’re playing to a room full of rad supportive women & girls instead of a bored chatty crowd at Tir Na Nog.

Left during Ex Hex because I still can’t hear anything but the gaps where I wish a 2nd guitar were playing.

Saturday, October 4, 2014