The time has come, friends, for the long-awaited Benefit For Julesy B. This is tonight. Be there! Middle East Downstairs. Loads of bands, raffles, and plenty of beer to fill your little indie rock bellies. Need more info? Check out the flyer below. Michael Marotta wrote up a nice article about tonight's show in today's Boston Herald, which you can read here.

We started moving stuff out of the apartment yesterday. We don't have to be out of there till Sunday afternoon; it's a nice feeling knowing we won't have to traverse the constantly-under-construction-yet-somehow-poorly-maintained streets of Allston on International Moving Day, especially when said day also happens to be Labor Day. What a right clusterfuck that would be. The last time I moved (which was four years ago), I only had to move down the street, about two or three blocks, and it made me want to smash my face off my face.

A couple of friends of ours are crashing on our couch for a week or two while their housing situation gets sorted, and they brought Jake the cat with them. I'm sure I've mentioned this before (and again, too lazy to look), but I am a dog person. Not to say I hate cats, just that I'm practically clueless when it comes to them. Anyway, I've learned something in the time Jake has been hanging out. Cats and laser pointers do not a Laser Cat make, but it does provide for hours upon hours of endless fun. (Let's hope he doesn't have to fight any snipers anytime soon.)

After entertaining myself (and presumably, the cat), we all sat down to watch the last night of the DNC. Obama's speech was impressive. I know he's just a politician, but I hope he gets the job. Otherwise, all I'll have left is a dimmer view of the people I share a country with. Seriously, have you even seen the Republican party platform? It's "Thank you, sir, may I have another?" copied and pasted over and over again; it's also ten pages long.

Blech.

Anyway, has anyone checked out the new Oasis yet? I'm digging it, and this is probably my favorite video of their's already.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87IQhui_Yy8&fmt=18

Hope you all have a good Labor Day weekend. If you're moving, I pray to the Spirit of Mumbles Menino that you don't get stuck behind a garbage truck on a narrow street.

Cheers,
Henry

When most people hear the words "The Chinese Government", they think of two things: 1) The "In Soviet China, party finds you!" joke, and 2) I wonder how much interest they're charging us.

But you have to hand it to them. Most people would have given up on these two elderly women, both of whom are pushing 80. But not the Chinese Government. They're so invested in their people that by sending these two seniors to re-education camp, they're proving that you can teach an old dog new tricks. Besides, they should be so lucky after applying for a permit to protest in a designated protest zone! What the fuck do they have to protest about, anyway?

Labour camp for elderly protesters
Two elderly Chinese women who applied during the Olympic Games to protest the loss of their homes have been ordered to spend a year in a labour camp, a relative said.

The women were still at home three days after being officially notified they would have to serve a year-long term of re-education through labour, but were under surveillance by a neighbourhood watch group, said Li Xuehui, the son of one of the women.

A rights group said the threat of prison appeared to be an intimidation tactic.

Li said no cause was given for the order to imprison his 79-year-old mother, Wu Dianyuan, and her neighbour Wang Xiuying, 77.

"Wang Xiuying is almost blind and disabled. What sort of re-education through labour can she serve?" Li said. "But they can also be taken away at any time."

The Public Security Bureau had no immediate comment. A spokeswoman for the Beijing re-education through labour bureau said: "We have no records of these two names in our system."

The elderly women, Wu and Wang, have repeatedly tried to apply for permission to hold a protest at one of three areas designated by the government as available for demonstrations during the games, which end Sunday.

Beijing has used the existence of the protest areas as a way to defend its promise to improve human rights in China that was crucial to its bid to win the games.

Some 77 applications were lodged to hold protests, none went ahead.

The New York-based Human Rights Watch said the cases of Wu and Wang "show that while China has now proven it is able to host international events to perfection, it still has a long way to go before it respects even minimal international human rights standards".

Cheers,
Henry

As of this weekend, we've only played Framingham twice, but man-oh-man is it always an adventure. As we showed up, Tracy (from Alen of Dale) informed us there was a PA situation (read: there is no PA at Bruburgers). There was some madness involved in sorting out the situation, but eventually after much deliberation (and lots of beer) we all settled on using a couple of spare amps. Actually playing the show was tons of fun, and the members of Tara White and Alen of Dale were super cool.

And let this be a lesson to all doubters: when Henry says "Hey, maybe we should bring mics and mic stands just in case", Henry is always correct.

Waiting to hear back about an apartment. I'm getting a little nervous, since my credit is awful and I have to move out on 9/1. Keeping my fingers crossed. Definitely moving out of Allston, though. After living here for the last six years, I'm a little sad to go, but I do need a change anyway (and cheaper rent, FFS).

Lots of crazy stuff going on in the world (as usual), but I'll spare you since Mondays are depressing enough.

Instead, I leave you with 2008 Olympic gymnast Alicia Sacramone punching some dude in the face (I could tell she was the one on the team who likes to party).

Cheers,
Henry


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QA6s7p-zU8

Currently listening: Dig Out Your Soul By Oasis Release date: 2008-10-07

While waiting the 1,000 years for parts of the tour movie ("When?" Very soon.) to render on my computer last night I was farting around on Google Maps. Most of our tour stops can be seen on Street View. Probably not the best thing to do, since I spent upwards of two hours "wandering the streets" of these places (the good news is my long-term memory isn't as shot as I thought) and now I'm all antsy again about getting out of the house.

...which is something I have no choice in anyway, since I'm moving in September and as of yet do not have a place to live. It's quite exhilirating, eh? If I can't find an apartment in 2½ weeks, I am F'ed. Actually, it's kind of stressful, but there are a few promising leads to follow up on today. Rent around these parts is much too ridiculous.

As readers of our little bloggy blog know, our friend Jules (aka The Mixtress) was very recently diagnosed with leukemia. She's made it through treatments alright so far, but the rub is that even with health insurance she currently owes something in the neighborhood of $30,000. There are two ways you can help Julesy out.

Show was fun last night
Not as sloppy as I thought
Best part was fried dough

Woke up so tired
All I wanted was coffee
Damn power went out

Playing show tonight
Dover Brickhouse, be there or
I will eat a pup

Cheers,
Henry



Currently listening:
Raise High
By Radio America
Release date: 2007-01-16

I read When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops? It was funny and I recommend it. Especially if it will offend you, because that's the kinda guy I am.

Scrambling to look for a place to live in September. It's a weird feeling. We've been packing everything up for the last couple of weeks, stripping the place of everything but the walls and the floor. I've lived at this particular apartment for the last four years, more than any other place. Probably the first place that felt like home up here in Boston, to be perfectly honest. But it's costing the old wallet too much to stay these days, and wholly not compatible with this whole Operation: "I don't want to work anymore". C'est la vie. I had a lot of good times there, but in the end it's just a place to keep my stuff and sleep (when I do sleep).

Spent buckets of time editing this tour movie. It's 99% done. It'll be out very soon. I promise. The four of us and Annie viewed it last night (it was the first time I'd seen it as a whole). It was fun reliving the whole thing again. I can't wait to do it again next month. However, after putting this together, my computer practically has smoke coming out of it. Methinks I need a new one.

(Oh, and we added a bunch more dates in the Midwest. You should czech that out.)

After seven years, I finally learned how to make a cappuccino with our espresso machine. Mostly.

Read a lot of news and tried not to pull my hair out. Since we have friends from outside of the country reading this blog who may not be familiar with US electoral politics, here's a 30-second video explaining how things work in our fair democracy:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYCMxD4pylM

Our friend Jules was recently diagnosed with leukemia. Even with insurance, her medical bills are ridiculous. Earn some good karma and throw her a few bucks here. Then tell your friends!

Entered a Coldplay contest, did really well, then lost anyway (had we won, we would've opened for them this past Monday). I'm still eternally grateful that everyone we know and everyone they know and everyone they know pulled the stops out for us and voted like hell. I write the loss off to the Aloud Curse (don't know if I've written about this before and I'm too lazy to look, but the short version is we've never won anything, ever— including the first gig Jen and I played together. It's actually pretty funny.) Onward to the next loss, I say!

Checked out a new venue in Boston called Café 939. It's pretty bitchin'. It's up on Boylston Street, right by the Cactus Club and across the street from the Hynes Convention Center.

I had the place completely to myself for a few days last week, and since I had sweet fuckall to do, I resurrected this story I've been working on since I was 13. I think I might actually finish it this time!

Saw Dark Knight and it was the greatest movie ever. Twice. I was exhasuted after watching it. After seeing Heath Ledger in both this and I'm Not There, it's a goddamn shame the dude's gone. Could've been a great actor. Lost potential is never fun. Morbid celebrity shit aside, my friend Martin loaned me The Dark Knight Returns comic book. I should've read it years ago, quite honestly. It was fantastic, and now I can see the various elements they used in the movies, and how it was the basis for the 1989 Tim Burton Batman. I didn't even mind Superman showing up (I enjoyed the flicks, but I find Supes to be insufferable). I'd like to hit up Year One and Long Dark Halloween next.

I also saw Hancock (good), Get Smart (pretty funny, show's still better), and... hmm.. I know I'm forgetting something.

Saw Salman Rushdie at a reading/book signing in Cambridge with Jen. I haven't read his new book, but Jen did, and she thought it was wonderful. Fatwa that, bitches!

I think that's about it. We're practicing tonight for the first time in almost a month. It should be interesting to see if we even remember these songs.

Cheers,
Henry

Currently listening: Lust for Life By Iggy Pop Release date: 1990-03-12

I thought I'd give a shout to our good friends in Radio America. They've just released a digital-only EP called You Will Pay For This. It's excellent. It's tops.

It's up on iTunes, eMusic....... and so on. I don't have a link for it on me at the moment, but I can't hold your hand all the time. Just type You Will Pay For This or Radio America into iTunes search. You kids know how to use The Google, you don't need me telling you how to do it.

Cheers,
Henry