Two of my co-workers are in bands I book. My roommate Daniel is out on a tour of the four corners states (w/ his band Thrift Store Cowboys) and my good friend Daniel (you can see where identity would crumble here) is opening three shows for Deer Tick (with his band One Wolf). Therefore, I am working a lot of hours this week.

No worries. I arrive home yesterday evening to my friend and neighbor Dave relaxing on our porch, enjoying the twilight. Shortly thereafter our friend Morgan shows up and before you know it we have plugged the laptop into the stereo, brought up lala and are jamming sweet tunes.

My friend Dave and I, circa '96/'97.

Now, the turning point: I cue up I Walk Alone by Oleander. This was a musical nod to all other parties that it was indeed ok to enter the land of throwback, 7th-grade memories and general ridiculousness involving songs you somehow still remember every single word to. The following is a sample of our night, specifically some of our r & b/rap choices.

Keith Sweat - Nobody; Twisted
Usher - Nice & Slow
Mariah Carey - Always Be My Baby; My All (Morgan put this on and I had forgotten about it...never again)
Blackstreet - No Diggity
Skee-Lo - I Wish
Mark Morrison - Return of the Mack
Next - Too Close

TLC - Red Light Special
Babyface - When Can I See You
K-Ci & JoJo - All My Life
Adina Howard - Freak Like Me
Warren G - Regulate
Primitive Radio Gods - Standing Outside A Broken Phone Booth With Money In My Hand
The Notorious B.I.G. - Juicy
Toni Braxton - Breathe Again

Speaking of 1996, here's a PC vs. Mac ad from my junior high days.

You know you've thought of a million songs from your school days going through this play list. Let us know! Take care good people.

alan

p.s. :)

This weekend I made a surprise visit to Lubbock, TX. I've really been missing my Shmalan and all of the lovely friends I met while living there. I only told two people, Sean Lewis and Daniel Fluitt, that I would be coming in and they are the best keepers of secrets because when I just showed up at the Lucero show, Alan was beyond surprised. I walked in at the beginning of the Thrift Store Cowboys (read SXSW interview here) set around 10 and we didn't leave the bar until after 2 am. It was a perfect Lubbock night. Just so you know, smoking is still allowed in all the Lubbock bars so all my pictures are cloudy...

I didn't get a chance to photograph Thrift Store Cowboys because I was by the sound booth in the back talking to Alan. We counted up the times we have been in the same city in the past 12 months...

Including this last visit, we have seen each other FIVE TIMES in 12 months! What the heck? This needs mucho improvement.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmine.

Brotherly love.

Bash's was absolutely packed with every kind of person.

The love birds. I forgot I was zoomed in while I was trying to get a shot of the crowd, but I like that I caught a sweet moment (at least I think it was a sweet moment).

You know Alan's lips have touched whiskey when you see this fist go up in the air.

I love how happy everyone is in this shot.

...smokey.

Such a sweet face!

Alan was super excited, so he jumped off the stage...twice.

I love that kid.

However, this guy did not. He immediately grabbed Alan and told him he was out of there if he tried it again. HAHA. I don't think he liked me taking this photo of him either.

There was no escaping the smoke.

I almost gave up on getting a shot of this guy.

I'm pretty sure this is the shot of Ben saying something like "hey, look at me, I'm still standing, haha." I had just moved back to Houston last time Lucero came through Lubbock, so I missed him laying on the stage. I don't believe they made it through the whole set.

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD/SEEN EITHER THRIFT STORE COWBOYS or LUCERO?
Everyone in that venue was having a good Friday night.
Both Lucero and Thrift Store Cowboys are still touring. Check them out if they come to your town.

I do have a lot more pictures to share with you from my weekend in Lubbock; Prepare yourself for a lot of pictures :)

muchos besos,
Kel

Ecto-coolers and sandwich trading...a trip back to my nervous years.

beautiful people, whiskey, and good tunes