H………………A………………………M……………………P………………….T…………………O……………………N!!!!!!!!!

I awake at 3am this morning to Brian coming home from the My Bloody Valentine concert in the city and he’s on the phone with Doughboy and talking loud. My first thought was that he was drunk and so I get up to close my door and then I hear Bri say “It’s official, March 6,7,8 in Hampton, VA …on Phish.com!” In mid step my scream reached through Bri’s door and he throws the door open stark naked and starts screaming with me.

My heart dropped and my tired sense of disillusionment grew into the quickest smile I’ve ever formed. When Bri came out of his room, we just lost it. And of all the people in the world that I could have shared that moment with, it had to be Brian. Afterall, I met Bri in Camden, NJ at Phish 8 years ago and he’s been my best friend ever since. And we hadn’t been that elated together since Destiny Unbound was played 4 years ago and since the re-emmergance show news of MSG. But this is bigger, this is huge. Numerous texts and calls have flooded in and out of my world and the excitement grows like wildfire. Even my parents sent me an email this morning, hahahaha!

They’re fuckin’ back!!!! Phish is phucking back!!…!!

I’m still a bit uncontained. Didn’t slepp (sleep) off the excitement very well after that. No matter at all. Best news to wake up to ever.

I lieu of the occassion, I’ve decided to re-open my earliest project from the days of yore,  www.phuckyeah.com just for viewing and memories. I’ll get to that later today.

It’s like since Trey’s birthday was yesterday, this was his present to highten the energy all around the world.

Is Phish a part of Plan B to help save the economy?

Do goosebumps ever go away?

October is coming up roses, unicorns and leprachauns.

Oooooooooooooohhhhhhhhh Yeeeeeeeeeaaaaahhhh!!!

It’s on.

And regarding all ticket inquiries, G crew, ect.>>> All info that gets passed through the company gets shared with the company. If I know something…you will know it too. All of our hands are in every option we know of, can think of and are a part of…. And EVERYONE will be inthere!

To the Mothership and beyond!

Game on!

Filed under: General by phoreal

So what…if I didn’t think I lived in paradise,

you think i’d ever stop thinking of all the other places that suffice?

So what is it that I am holding, what cards are in my hand,

I could consider telling you but it’d take a lifetime to understand.

So what if I decided to move to New York City?

I could probably find a fountain to throw a penny in and bump into Jay-Z.

So what, I’d say and carry out the day,

Rhyming street signs in Brooklyn where the B Boys use to play.

So what?

So what if I really moved out to Spain,

and fullfilled the prophecy that I derived when I was 17.

So what would mean something different and the Spaniards wouldn’t understand

what satisfaction emcompasses my cup raised up to honor their forign land.

I’m going to sail into twenty time zones and say so what in so many fucking ways,

I might not ever want to decipher what the smile on a stranger portrays. (let it be)

I’d take a train to the desert

and a canoe to Peru.

before I’d say anything I didn’t think true.

So what.

So free.

So diligently.

I rest my case.

I slow my pace.

awaiting what will be, willingly.

So what now? I wonder while still waters wane,

So what states that a shrug of shoulders and a smile is as much as I need to explain.

 - B

Filed under: General by phoreal

Feliz Fall Mi Amigos!

We ran summer out with a bang and although sunny California will ease it’s self out gradually with the new season, we welcome all of the excitement that my favorite time of the year brings. For this is the season that existentially fuels my soul with it’s winds of electric energy that stir up the static and moves brittle leaves and blows through your hair like the trees in the breeze; And the likes of these moments excite new ideas and if you are attentive to them they unravel the greatest outcomes. E = Mc and trippled in fall.

My thoughts round up to report after this recent weekend where we rallied for another day at the Santa Cruz Beach Boadwalk and had our way with it. I can’t thank JRapp enough for his generosity of the numerous free passes to the boardwalk that he has habitually sent me over the whole summer so that I have been able to entertain many groups of troopers in the name of fun and love of roller coaster rides, space bumper cars, spinning apparatuses, gondolas over the ocean views and everything else that the boardwalk on the beach offers and on some days if only for a few hours, it makes the whole week end in a smile.

In a little bit over a week, we get Tea Leaf back on our turf for the Hardly Strickly Bluegrass festival in Golden Gate Park! I’m super excited for this next weekend to arrive and i’ve definately been feeling the lull of such the duration without them. Seriously, love and fiending for your favorite shows go hand in hand.

(Update): Being that I’ve long since realized my addiction to spontaneity and it’s stimulating effects, I’ve decided to make the trek to Northern California, Humboldt County to catch the Tea Leaf show in Eureka! We found it! Been 2 years since they’ve played them parts and it’s always accomodated accordingly. My car is now full and technically overfilled so if anyone else is making the drive as well, I may need to pawn an amigo off to you. But alas, the more the merrier and this is going to be worth the drive and no sleep straight drive back to work the next day. The venue is The Red Fox and I hear it’s bas ass. This will be a great rendevzous for the central and northern crew… in the name of rock.

Five days following that festival on 10/10 I get to sit in with some of my friends Naomi and The Courteous Rudeboys when they play a show Don Quiotes in Felton. It’s more of a dance in than a sit in but its a choreographed dance to Betty Confetti that Naomi created. I’ve been practicing cuz we’ve been wanting to do this for a while but I keep missing their shows due to other travels but now we’ll make it happen and this will be a fun one for sure. Then the next night, my drummer buddy from San Francisco and his band Something Different  come to Santa Cruz for the first time to play at the Brookdale Lodge so i’m gonna gather some folks to come out and party for this one. After that, I’m Boston bound a week later which I’m also really stoked for. A week long work trip in Boston at the convention center for the NPEE and we get a bonus show where Galactic plays the first night of the convention for an industry party which should be pretty sweet.  After Bean Town, I’ll have a couple days to kick it in Nyc, a special Turbine show at The Lucky Cat in Brooklyn, a Trey show in Connecticut with Muleman and hopefully a day to head up to Maine to see Topes and a moose. Then two hours after I arrive home (given I make my flight back) I head straight from the airport to The Catalyst in the Cruz for the STS9 concert on 10/22. Looking forward to this show mucho as I see the tickets on my refridgerator everyday for like three months now.

In other great news, Tea Leaf Green is scheduled for their first slot at the House of Blue in Los Angeles! They are co-billed with Umphrees McGee however, I consider this a huge stepping stone for next time it will just be them alone. Having grown up on the Sunset Strip, I’ve been loving watching my bands play at these old school venues like The Roxy, Whiskey a go-go, Troubador and Fais do-do and work their way up to the big time ones and HOB is definitely in that court. To infinity and beyond boys!

Las Tortugas Music Festival is next and nearing on the fall horizon and will truly culminate the time with it’s splendor. Lots of great performances and great times will prevail, I cannot wait!

How has the crew been hangin’?!

I miss you all and need to rock out with you pronto, so I look so forward to when these winds wash my ways upon your shores.

Mucho Amor!

-Mgmt

Filed under: General by phoreal

“It’s all part of the situation, It’s all part of the show!”

A line from the song No Explanation by Turbine, and a great lyrical description for my first thought of choice as I start in to explain my epic travels on tour with the band Turbine over this past week. For really, there is no (bonified) explanation that can convey the extent of epicness that resides within my frame of reference for putting experiances into words but i’m going to try. Being that i’m still reeling from the affects of that in which the adventures entailed and since I still feel like i’m there, the process of explanation always feels so intangible when you’re coming right out of a week straight of non-stop bustle and travel encompassed by a hurricane of fun. This occurance I speak of is a tale of such that brings intrigue to the still swaggering rhythm in my step and the sparkle in my smile, while also bringing me the desire to entertain a review of course. So I go to archive.org and start streaming a live show while I sift through my senses and reccollect.

This is the kick ass show that I am listening to as I write: http://www.archive.org/details/turbine2008-08-01.zoomh4flac16

I mean really, what a perfect time of the year to set sail on a week long tour across the stunning state of Colorado.  And true to its colors, its gorgeous sights paved the way for a van full of music conquistadors to take the towns by storm and rock the residents with their sound and intent. The band drove out from their home in NYC et al and I flew out from California and we met up on the center of the country for a week of music that will revel in infamy and more good times than you can fit in a monkeys cage.

Our tour schedule consisted of a 5 night run more like a journey; A trek starting with 2 nights in the city of Denver, then on to Boulder, then up to Brekenridge and then the finale show at the intrepid mountain town of Telluride. Throughout our trail I had come to gain a serious appreciation for Colorado because of how the music scene in so revered there and how fans flourish in favor of live shows. I was really impressed with how much fun these people were too, none pretentious nor crude, just high spirits and in attendance for a damn good time. Everyone I met along the was a true connoisseur and many of them are now in my book of friends.

So we started out in Denver on Tuesday for the first gig. My flight landed later than I expected and Rob and Kelly were there to wisk me away with the direct route to the venue asap. Arriving in excitement, we were quick to get down to business. I was stoked to see that a few friends from TLg world had made it out too, Bkark, Terese and Froey all were there with big smiles and open minds to enjoy the show per my reccomendation. The venue was named after a Cervantes book called Dolcinea’s 100th Monkey and it was a nice sized tavern for the start of the run. The show was a rocker and the sound was really great due to having a sound guy who was on for the whole tour sans Telluride. I remember being on Justin’s side as the show started and being blown back a bit by the bass and how it was jumping out at me like a monster that wanted to hug me. I was stoked on the thick bassy goodness for days to come as well. I like to switch sides sometimes to get a sound differenciation and there’s such an eclectic element to each member of the band that makes this task awesomely rewarding. Ryan holds it down on the left side, my usual habitat, and if I never saw with own eyes what he does with his instruments than I would be pleasantly confused with questions about how the hell he does what he does and damn he does it so good. As a drummer, I always find myself tuned in to Eric and how he holds the groves together on the skins and I’m always grateful for a solid rhythm section because that is the feel of my moves and the sound that beats in my pulse. And of course, front and center, Jeremy on electric guitar has the tones and pristine sound that can set the soul on fire. Very moist.  So, where was I… (puts hand to forehead and pats off beads of sweat).

The next night was another show in Denver but at another club called Owlsley’s and this club was like a nightclub straight out of 1972. The sound diffusion was on key but the  dancefloor was not made for me. It was a mulit-layered monstrosity that fortunately did not take me down. What was cool here was the large wooded outside patio with several DJ’s spinning great tracks while we were setting up and during setbreak. After Wednesday nights show we stayed another night in Denver at Rob’s and then headed up to Boulder.

Now, Boulder is one helluva town and I guess I should’ve know by now but it appears to be the music capital of the state. We arrive at the venue called Redfish which is a NOLA themed brewery in back and resturant in front with an overall colorful and lively vibe. After soundcheck we had some time to stroll around the main part of downtown and Pearl Street and enjoy the surrounding mountainous views all around us. As showtime neared, the placed was pretty packed. We had many recruits that were coming out to get down with us and then there were those that were just there for the delicious beer who were in for a real treat. As the first song started in, the dancefloor filled in and it was on! Everyone in the room was dancing away, fist pumping, smiling and stoked. A few tunes into the set, the trumpet player from The Motet and Pangea, Danny Spears graced the stage and set things full steam ahead with wreckless abandon. Danny obviously is a great canidate for sit-ins and and he is absolutely explosive on the brass meanwhile melding so well with every song and transition. And as I watched the boys tear it up, I realized just how seemlessly they command their art with imporov when necessary; And that lays the pallate for the magic to be cooked on. I can’t wait to hear the recording of this show for sure.

The next day was world’s apart from the days before as we ascended the city scapes up to the mountain peaks.

You can imagine it, a summer day leaving the city and watching the scenery beautify with every kilometer. Vast ranges of trees greened every angle of my sight unto the horizon and the rocky mountains grew closer and closer in the crisp cooled air that somewhat seemed to be scented with fresh cut cilantro. At almost 10,000 feet in elevation, the altitude felt like a qualude, and as entertaining as it was to witness every conversation get jumbled,  we were also enlightened as Jeremy exposed his passion for geological knowledge of mountain peaks in hilarious detail…bonus. We arrived in Brekenridge and were instructed to drink a lot of water and for a rock band, that kinda sucks; we like our beer and bourbon but we were fine and the funny thing was that the venue Three 20 South had an oxygen tank in the green room for us, never seen anything like that before…classic. Fantastic venue too, kind of an underground lair and we were the lions that were to inhabit it for the night. The awesome owner, Rocco, gave us a nice tour around and shared some history of the place and the story of recent renovations. This venue used to be the infamous Sherpa and Yeti’s and I recall the name from years ago but I was here now and as it stood as the newly named Three 20 South and was in stance to make some new history, and we were glad to help it along.

As the band was setting up the stage I set out on the town to gather some local newspapers that featured Turbine in a full page preview. Earlier that day the guys were INVITED to do a couple radio interviews on 2 different stations and at that time they showed us the paper so I wanted to find a few for the archives.

Showtime beckoned and if I were to explain how much fun this dance floor actually was then i’d have to put a rating on this post. And so it was, Turbine brought down the house and colors flew. <— And at this point in this post a smiley face is due. Ah-ha.

Knowingly understandable to the notion of the night, dig that I will skip ahead, and 10am the next morning came rather too soon to bail out of town again for tour accounts for every moment. Leaving behind a trail of good times and minds satisfied with infiltration we roll on.

Telluride was the next gig and the finale of the tour and be it the luxury of the location we were primed to perform. And when I say we, I mean us as a team, because although I’m on the other side, you know what I mean. ~

Destination Bubble Lounge, a place i’ll always hold so dear, for if within a place like this perception seems so clear. 3 sets shot the crowd so hot up to the harvest moon, dancing like lightening with faces enticing and no desire to return to earth anytime soon. Shout out to Joe, Lisa, Cupcake, Blake, Rocco on sound and Troy and Kelly for sure, this venue and the all the folks who I met there catered to such a fantastic way to take in the whole run and sum it up while rockin out together and causing trouble together. Next and like a cherry on the sundae, a huge shout to Turbines new Manager Rob! To watch this man in action was one of my most impressive feats I’ve seen in the industry; everything was taken care of with so much on it-ness and then some and homie is really one of the coolest motherf*ckers out there, thanks for everything Rob and I appreciate your vision which is parallel to mine so let’s do this.  And as the drum roll thickens, my biggest shout out since I’m dealing them out, absolutely goes to the guys behind the reason for my enthusiasm, my four road trippin’, rock starin’, troubadors- TURBINE! Seriously, you know how much I love you guys. I wholeheartidly had such an amazing trip because you have hearts of gold and music talents so f’n off the hook and such an orginal style that absolutely melts me, so what can I say except I really can’t wait until we can do it again!

Oh yeah…, haha, It’s hard to end this review just like I didn’t want to go home from this radical tour but one more musical mention…before the show, Rob and I headed to the Blues and Brews Festival that was nestled in a forested area with a lot of history and catch Gov’t Mule set with a Susan Tedeschi sit in and the last show with their bass player (name? Muleman knows) and watched the full moon rise between two mountains and I turned around 360 to take it all in and was breathless as to where I was at. Phenomenal. Multiple adjectives played a large role in my interpretation throughout the excursion and if there was any other way that I could convey, I wouldn’t want to have the key to that conversion.

Bam….

What a run, So much fun!

Cheers!

Notible mention: writing this and getting east coast updates from the TLG show in Richmond, Va, almost setting Chris’s kitchen on fire as were cooking and rockin out, hahaha, thanks for the call update setbreak Focker, so glad you all got the new and improved asphalt funk tonight!!!!

Airing out the kitchen with glory!

Love to you all!

-B

Filed under: General by phoreal

Our Artist Promotions Director, Stacey, attended the Amplify Music Conference in Las Vegas recently and reveiwed her experience with a few inspiring words that are geared towards the companys’ fundemental prospects and some useful tips for up and coming artists. Some of the events at the gala that she remarked on included such lectures about:

>Touring and Booking

> Marketing & Promotions
> The Indie Label A&R Perspective

> The Art of Artist Management
> The Major Label A&R Perspective

and so much more; Check the full schedule here: http://www.amplifymusiccompfest.com/2008-panelist-schedule.htm

Here are her words:

“OK, this is what I learned…

The band & their manager need to create something directed at the attention of “labels/ A & R”. Pretty much, they need to work their asses off & when they get to a place that grabs “their” attention, “they” will come swoop them up & put into place the industry connections, to sell you to the big companies, better conections for huge sponsorships & big events. The only thing “they” seem to have is connections. I asked what they provided that a small time manager couldn’t & that’s the only answer they had. So if you want to have your tour sponsored by Verizon & get David LaChapelle to take your photos – they will provide the $$ & connections to do it & they get a cut of your success. I get it, makes sense.

So, the artist needs to get out there & create a buzz/ fan base. The best asset to an artist is their fans. Their fans will inevitably get the artists name out there, spread the word. But don’t leave it up to the fans, guide them as well. Get out there & hang with them, share info& ideas. Your fans are your best asset, get their info, remember them. No shit kinda.

Another thing they kept saying is think outside the box. Make your website an attraction. Since websites cost $$, Independent self run websites and MySpace are the best route for bands – free hosting & domain. Make the design unique & place as many “widgets” on there as possible. Widgets are a means of keeping in contact with the fans – bulletins, mailing list, videos, text-messagers. On the other hand, don’t over do it, like, don’t send out messages about shows in CA to NYers – don’t SPAM. Make videos, use videos, upload art to your site or MySpace all the time, keep it fresh. The “a&r” people are looking at Page Views on the MySpace pages. If you have over a 500,000 views, they will proceed to listen to your music & check you out.

The days of tape/ cds are over. MP3’s, a pic & stats on an email – that’s all they want. Best source – their assistants, get the attention of the assistant & they will get the info to the boss – they are filters. BUT make sure to have a good press/ promo pack for after the catch – Have a high quality photo for print ads, The best MP3 you have, stats – previos shows – Myspace address. Simple.

The only advice I heard that was real fresh was on touring – to go region by region. Even stick to a region each year, get around town, build a fan base in a region – play, play, play – if nothing happens after a year or so, move on. That way you get your name out redndently in the same area but know when to move on & not become a local band & can come back for shows later. Then branding & recognition should follow by word of mouth.

Branding, stick with a logo or 2 or theme, people become more familiarized with you.. obviously.”

Thanks Mrs. AP Stacey!

And the curve continues as we wind on through the creation towards the cause.

Looking with lightening into the eyes of destiny,

-Mgmt.

Filed under: General by phoreal

Sometimes it’s all like a dream. Like the way that scenes and images flash by like when you have many dreams in one night, well to that, my last week has been filled with music in the same regard.

As a quick re-cap there were a lot of firsts to go down in show history which made things extra exciting. Dave Brogan, drummer of (ALO) busted out his first solo show at our local Moe’s Alley. Trevor Garrod gave us a great show and sat in with Blue Turtle Seduction for the first time. BTS also played a fun one like always and Five Eyed Hand stepped into the mix and made it a very well rounded night at the 12 galaxies venue which is closing at the end of the month. The next night, STS9 played an epic show at The Greek Theatre in Berkeley! A monumental event for them like a threshold celebration in the honor of the venue to have come so far to play there and they represented accordingly and exceptionally.

Starting with the Dave Brogan show on Wednesday, Moe’s Alley brought many of us down to entetain the evening with a break out performance of a musician and a friend. Dave actually started out solo and then brought a slough of many friends to join the stage in what we would call the accompanyment of DBB, or Dave Brogan and Friends. T’was a fun show even though I left mid-set to cruise across town to catch my amigos in Byron Space Circus who were playing with Bucky Walters at The Crepe Place. However, when I got there I was mistaken thinking that BSC was the headliner but they were not so when I got there, their set was already finished. It was a packed though and lots of friends to see and so I stuck around to check out Bucky Walters who I heard a lot about lately. Well, the chillin with the crew was top notch but the music was too bluegrassy for me on this particular night so I, like the night crusader, hoped back over to Moe’s Alley to catch the end of DBB only to find that that show too had ended early as Chris and Jennae crossed my path and notified me right as I arrived. C’est la vie! It was a fun night for a mid week montage.

Friday night brought me back up to San Francisco for a great show I was looking forward to and considering that I was not in NYC, it was a parallel location of musical joy. Trevor Garrod played a solo show in SF on the same night that Josh Clark was playing a solo show in NYC, so two members from our favorite band were tantilizing our ears and moving our feet and representing coast to coast and it was a good night in the world. Trevor’s show was fantastic as always and to me, it was one of the best of his solo gigs to date. I say this because he played all my favorites and they consecutively consoled such a beautific set, not just because I got to hear “Ships” with a shout out although that was my highlight to hear amazing material make a comeback. And after T-bone’s set, we all stuck around and enjoyed Five Eyed Hand, a band who is up and coming and shreds and whose guitarrist I’ve known for a long while and has seen many of his music incarnations along the way, and this one is becoming more prevalent which is awesome. Blue Turtle Seduction headlined the night and played two awesome sets in their style so sweet and then Trevor joined them for a couple songs towards the end of the night as well.

Saturday night was hilarious. I had looked on Craigslist to get my ticket for the Sound Tribe Sector Nine show at The Greek and met some Grad student named Mike who had the ticket for me. This kid told me that he was new to the scene so I asked him if he was meeting friends at the show. He said he was rolling by himself so I insisted that he join us and assured him that he would have the best time ever. So Chris and I met up with Mike and headed into the show to our usual perfect spot and accumulated the crew steadily. Breana and Hannah were holding down the fort when we arrived and graciously had access to the backstage bar so they kept us supplied the entire show. Tania and Alana appeared in fine form shortly after, I’m starting to realize that a lot of my friends names rhyme. Anyways… With the best spot in the house and the greatest crew in the venue, we rocked hard and proud all night long. Having been seeing STS9 for about 9 years now and being there to see them headline The Greek Theatre, the largest venue in their show history and an amazing venure in itself, not only were we pretty extactic but the band was too and we all could tell as they catered to one hell of an in your face bass blasting bonanza!

After the STS9 show, we weaved our way through the bizarre streets of Berkeley in a rambuncious haze and stumbled with style into the after party at Shattuck Down Low where the band Pnuma was playing with some other DJ’s. Someone at the bar bought us all drinks and we got down for a bit it the posh underground lair and met up with the rest of the crew for a few and then bounced. All and all, I ended up with lots of crazy pictures throughout the night and somehow I lit my eyebrow on fire, so again…great times as always.

Up next…Outside Lands? Hmmm

Much Love,

-Mgmt.

Filed under: General by phoreal

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Happy 888 everyone!*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Celebrations count triple when they are accounted for numerically, and this is one helluva day!

And the party countinues on the one year and one month anniversay of the founding of our company on 07-07-07! …And that’s just about all I gotta say.

And 143 mucho amigos!

Hope all you wonderful beautiful folks have a fantastic weekend!

422

-Mgmt.

Filed under: General by phoreal

It’s the practical necessity of leisure and the praise of the sun that embody the essence of summer. It’s also freedom and travel like seeds on the wind, and that is where it is also likened to the passion of music. That’s where it’s always been. Traveling; Nationwide, worldwide, left side, right side. Travel is the essence of summer. Music is passion like a fever. There should be a world that describes this kinship in effect but alas…It is what it is.

I’ve been in town for 2 weeks now and in between intervals of domestic attentiveness and selective social gatherings, I am home. Familiar and enjoyable home. The time granted has given me ample time to think of the next place of venture and plans of even far off lands of distant language in December. Visions of places that arise in my interest are like maps to me that make up a well rounded journey. This time is making me ponder where my home really is. If my heart is on the dusty open road and down streets of unknown stone than am I just at a rest stop?

I’ve spent the last week and a half dissecting manuscripts and watching every volume ever released of The Twilight Zone. I am however pleased and content with the sweet, sweet time that I have taken to unveil my next plan of action…whatever it may be, be it right. Sights set can only see upon the decided mind.

Well it was a great weekend trip to SF with another one of Shaggy’s fabulous parties. I had missed hanging out and dancing with the crew from the bay to great music by friends and we got a bonus suprise show with 3/4 of og TLG kind of reunion show in an abandoned apartment that we commendeered for the partys’ sake…good times. Thanks to Shaggy for his hospitality and Shagginess.

Yesterday we had a Birthday in the company! Miss Krista Lee!! My concert confidant and one of favorite ladies on the planet! Hope you had an absolutely amazing day my darlin’! New York plans still in tow.

Tomorrow, Trevor Garrod performes part III of the Garden Shed series, live in San Francisco. And Saturday, we have a Manager’s meeting at the beach for a group surfing session and feast afterwards by all of our most favorite Chef, Joe. I have finally uploaded new music to the radio site and am learning a lot about how most technology is so far beyond my comprehension. I’m trying to make friends with it but I keep getting schooled. So far, you can check out the Turbine album as well as a live show from 3-27-08 (Donegal Saloon, NJ.) as well as the Naomi and the Courteour Rudeboys full album…but I think it’s all jumbled and I have to figure out how to straighten it all out. To the learning degree, I have decided to enroll in classes with 3-one this fall so that we can gain more fundamental techy knowledge for the company to develop further in the direction that we are so inclined to prosper in.

We welcome August in many ways, for the completion of a season brings new ideas to our days.

Hasta,

-Mgmt

Filed under: General by phoreal

Having grown up in the Los Angeles area, 818 was my area code for all of my days so today is an appropriate day to give a huge shout out to all the friends and fam in the ol’ homeplace.

Mad love to the So. Cal madness in you all and I’m glad you had fun in that earthquake earlier this week! And another gigantic honorable mention is to my folks. Mom and Dad celebrated their 40th freakin wedding anniversary just a few weeks ago on July 4th! 40 years of seeing fireworks in eachothers eyes, now that is truly awesome and they gives hope for the whole world. And my brother M. Ten, he’s made me a partner of x-site media radio and the ship is ready and steady to set to sail soon on the site. What up, Chris, Colleen, Taylor, Joe, Andrea, Luke, Carly, Ozzy, Mike, Sean, Stina, Noelle, Heather, Ghandi, Ish, Matty, Jones, The Atma, The Janks, Omega 3 and The Fatty Acids, 1AD7, and everyone else that I love seeing when I’m back in L.A. Rock on you sexy beasts. So, anyways…

Following a progressive week of transitional thought, it’s time to get down to business. I have had a keyboard in front of me all week and have dilligently restrained from purchasing two plane tickets for the next upcoming travels in the agenda on my rock n’ roll itinary. It’s been like sitting on my hands and sipping a cocktail from a straw and I need a re-fill but lost my voice. Which translates to not being able to do anything further until I receive some more information. My sights are set on heading back to New York in two weeks if the forces see it to be, then i’m waiting on a specific set of dates to be announced for a killer Colorado run in September. These are the travels on my mind.

It was exactly a week ago when I saw a really rock’n show right on the beach here in Santa Cruz. Every friday in the summer, the city sets up free concerts on the beach and these concerts are acts that you will never gets to see them in any other place, why? Because they no longer tour and they choose to play these types of shows to make their appearances. It’s really great, they have a large stage set up on the sand, 50 feet from the water, and right next to the boardwalk rides and such. Last year I saw Tiffany and Eddie Money and last friday we rocked out to the rocks legends; Blue Oyster Cult!! I mean, where else could we have the opportunity to catch a show like this? And it was stellar.

So this weekend will bring me up to the city for my good friend Shaggy’s birthday celebrations and some special live music performances. Shaggy always throws great parties and he hosts the usual hot spot after all the shows. Most of the bay area chapter of the company will be in attendance and we have a few special appearances as well. I’ve got a feeling…this will be one helluva weekend in downtown San Francisco.

Filed under: General by phoreal

Returning back from the big city is always like stepping back through one of those cartoony blurry portals that you have to shake off the liquid debris and cosmic colors while coming back to your wild senses. In other words, New York always shows me one hell of a great time and I love it. So much actually that when there, I am constantly on-the-go in it’s non-stop world where one is easily entertained by the most supreme street art, a cast casual characters, enriching conversational patterns from one subway trip to the next and random happenstances that intrigue me to the very core of my sensory receptors. Always a good time.

With an agenda to rendezvous with the east coast crew, lots of ground was covered, much music was seen and rooftops were pillaged. I Landed at 6am and headed straight into Brooklyn.

After a chill moment at a friends house and a couple hours of catching up over a few beers, I headed back on the subway towards Penn Station and weaved my way through the underground Atlantis then found the New Jersey transit train just in time to catch my ride into the Garden State for my first plan of action; TLG was playing in the ethereal town of Asbury Park, NJ. that night at famous club, The Stone Pony. Asbury Park was on my radar after I saw this Travel Channel special of No Reservations hosted by Anthony Bourdain, where he toured through some of his old haunts in a place that use to be as alive as Coney Island but is now reminiscent of a land mine of his yesteryears playground. Having a few landmarks remaining like the old fortune teller on the beach and the Wonderbar, the place just plucked a special string in my heart and I felt that I wanted to go there and being that I am naturally attracted to the allure of a run-down ghetto boardwalks on a stretch of beach that would normally be unsafe any time of the day, the intent of my visit felt romantically poetic. So when my friends announced that there were going to be playing a show there, a spark went off and I made it happen. Sometimes my callings are as random as that. Most times I have odd understandings for knowing why I am suppose to be somewhere that I need to be. Case and point, Asbury Park.

So I arrived to the pre-party at the Wonderbar and two of my New York friends were already there. As hours passed and the sun started to sink into the sea, our party was about 30 strong. I hadn’t really mentioned to many that I was going to be out there so it was an awesome re-kindling of excitement as we gathered before the show. As the hour struck, we made our way in a parade along the boardwalk wearing animal masks and danced in a procession to the doors of the venue. This venue was famous because it was the spot where Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen played their first concerts. The venue these days is a dump and the security was a joke of obnoxious jerks. But the band played a fantastic show and threw out a heavy-hitting double set that tossed impressed wide-eyed looks of awe throughout the audience the whole time. Notable mention was a sit in with The Breakfast guitarrist Tim Palmeri, who dueled with Josh Clark in an epic version of Ride Together. So after the show it’s the hotel lobby and after the lobby it’s the after party and after the party you run to the beach and get all retardy, and then after that, oh yeah, I must express great gratitude to the friends of mine whose room they offered to share with me that I brought the whole party too, sorry, but it was a rock’n time, and I hope you eventually got some sleep.

The next day was Friday and I knew I had to get back into NYC, but first I had to figure out how to get off this damn island! No, really, in an adventure turned action film, Jaymes, Chip and I were in fine form by morning and had lost track of time while playing in the tide pools and in the ocean and I for some reason had someone else’s shoes on. Yet eventually, with my partner in international crime of fun/safety consultant, we hopped on a bus and made our way back into New York to start preparations for the next party which was our good friends gig on a boat. This was my initial reason for collaborating the trip itself, the meeting of minds in the name of celebration and Turbine playing a boat cruise show on a small boat that toured around the bay and I was extremely pumped for this event.

So the time had arrived and we boarded the boat. There was an opening band that immediately started in the ceremony and we had dropped anchor and started moving. Given the night before, I was unbalanced and buzzed so I went to the bottom deck to see if I could get some food. The lovely Gretchen came with me and we sat at a table while I turned pale and blue and was swaying side to side. This was strange. The boat was moving and so was my equilibrium so I went to the window for air. What happened next was a moment that I will never forget and a moment that goes down as one of my favorite personal comedic altercations. Having not puked since I was about 15, I leaned out the window out of necessity. I was appalled at this, however, as I watched the waters passing below, taking with it the food that I had just tried to ingest, I put my napkin to my mouth and lifted my head to one of the most magnificent sights I could ever see; We were at that very moment sailing right next to one of, if not the single most greatest and grand of landmarks in all of our country’s history, The Statue of Liberty. And there she stood in all her glory about 10 feet from me and taller then I could even see the top of, and there I was… puking in front of her!

When I came to a slight bit of sense, I just paused in awe and admiration and just started to laugh hysterically while still in intervals of throwing up before her beauty. This lasted about 10 minutes and it all happened in almost slow motion. I took this as some sort of a metaphor of her silently saying “Go ahead, Liberate yourself!” And so I was just puking and laughing and starring up, it all was quite a spectacle to me. So then I turned back into the boat and said to Gretchen, “This is just absolutely incredible!”. And it was, because, I knew that Turbine was minutes away from going on stage and there was no way that I was going to feel anything but optimal from my highlight of my trip. And so it was done, and I sat up in my chair, a glass of water in one hand and a cocktail in the other and after a deep breathe and smile, I nodded in the direction of the upper deck to get the show on the road.

And what a show it was! Turbine rocked the boat more that a boat can even rock itself! Every time I see the band they exhibit stronger signs of the rising rockstars they are and they sounded so f’n good and played such an amazing set as we sailed and swayed on. From the first note, it was on, and they continued into a full on dance fest and we, the audience, were sent flying back and forth as the waves moved the vessel. There was no time to stop, there was no re-grouping, we danced like maniacs in an inflatable bouncing fun house and that was a great way to meet all the other fans as the boat tossed us from on side to the other and our smiles met while in mid groove. I remained right up front the entire set and exchanged several “this is so kick ass” looks with the band, meanwhile Jaymes and Gretchen interchanged cocktail runs every few songs so we were set. I met a lot of other die-hard Turbine fans throughout the night and made some new friends as well who all shared in the tacit knowing that we were in the most rockin’ place in all of the United States at this day and time. At one point mid-show, the band busts out a first time played cover of “Rock the Boat” and the place went ballistic as the boat swayed side to side and the energy in there heightened as hands flew in the air and everyone sang along and danced even harder in the correlation. Great show, fucking awesome band, and they also really know how to show their friends not only a radical nautical time but they had also planned to host the after party as well. So the party continued and as I was heading off the boat, I went to thank the Captain who I immediately noticed he was as ecstatic as we were! He said that he drives the ship for a lot of these boat shows and this was the best sounding band he’s gotten to enjoy in a while and he thanked us! So I gave him a CD of the bands album and he parted with our sincere appreciation and carried on.

I hopped in the van with crew and we headed straight toward our rooftop rendezvous at Ryan’s place with a quick stop at Mike’s Pizza to get some pies for my first taste of NY pizza of the trip and I don’t know weather it was my hunger fueled from the show or what but I can honestly say that it was the best pizza that I have ever had in my life. I’ve already looked to see if I can get some sent out here but I’ll have to wait until next time. Mike’s Pizza on 25th, make a note of it.

The next day was a very special Saturday. The guys had known that I was coming out for the boat show and was staying for the weekend so it was very nice of them to set up a special surprise additional show the following day. Jeremy made a call to a really cool bar that he plays at sometimes and asked them if they could set up an impromptu gig for the occasion. The bar was a really cool place in the heart of an old neighborhood in Brooklyn and we had the whole place including the large outside backyard space where we planned bar-b-que festivities to start the evening. I was the first to arrive and so I got a glass of wine and sat out in the sun on the patio and chatted it up with the bartender who played guitar over our ramblings.

After an hour had passed, the band arrived with equipment in tow and many of the group from the day before. The crew began to assemble in the quaint setting that I considered my farewell show ambiance and it was a beautiful thing. The show was an acoustic set with several sit in’s and several set breaks so as just to at every moment enjoy the company and the music. It was what was dubbed a Turbine and Friends show and it was a special night indeed. And I must admit that the greatest musical highlight of the night was the debut of “Fla Naba”, a song we all wrote together on top of Justin’s rooptop last time I was in NYC the previous March. My smile was as uncontained as an avalanche and I felt flabbergasted and fulfilled.

So, in all, I had another awesome trip out east and after a month and a half of traveling consecutively and pretty much I’ve been traveling for work and play most of the year, every month for weeks at a time, well, recently it all made a great start to my summer, and I am alas, happy to be home. And unlike many of my adventures where I’m already planning my next trip, this time I returned home with with a feeling of a need to take it easy, take it slow for a bit. New leaves are blowing in the wind and I am catching dragonflies in my daydreams flying towards the direction of new excursions in future visions. You don’t walk away from great experiences without acknowledgments and giving thanks for great lessons and inspirations; And so I walk away with a lot of muses in my mind and beneficial motives in my prospects… and I am so excited.

So until the next show mi amigos,

Thank You all! ((VERY MUCH))

And Goodnight.

-B

Mgmt.

Filed under: General by phoreal