Childhood Dreams

Monday was a long day.  Little sleep for a few days before and a busy, hectic day at work;

I was hoping for an easy day at my part time arcade job.  I picked up my brother, Kelly, planning that we could play a good deal of relaxing pinball after performing some quick repairs and cleaning.

That plan didn't work...thanks to some trickier that planned technical issues and some cross-threaded bolts (whoever did this, I hate you); my hope of getting repairs completed in about an hour were dashed.  It turned into a 5+ hour ordeal...and left me with some homework.  Thankfully, Kelly was a big help and we did end up playing a few games of pinball (sorry about making you work so much!).  We trudged out of the arcade a bit after 11pm and started to head for home...drained.

I was feeling pretty worn out...but then a distant image appeared on the horizon (OK across the parking lot).  Is that...is that...I think that is....is it, it is...The NUTmobile!  Obviously, I had to get closer.  It's after 11pm, no meeting Mr Peanut for me.  I would have to settle for a picture.

What an awesome way to end the night?  It would have been great to meet Mr Peanut, but I am sure he had many important nut-related activities the next day and I wouldn't want to interrupt his sleep.  He is almost 100 years old now.  I am not sure about the human year to peanut year ratio is...but I am guessing that 99 is on the more mature side for a peanut.  

Feeling better about the night, we turn the corner...and Oh My God!

The Oscar Mayer WienerMobile is parked in the same hotel...cleverly hidden behind this tree.  I have loved the Wienermobile since I was a kid.  Who hasn't?  I have never got to see it in person, something has always come up, ruining every opportunity for me to visit the grand frankfurter tabernacle. I was pretty excited, but made myself stay in the car to temper my enthusiasm.  If not, I was liable to A) run through the hotel knocking on every door looking for the Hotdoggers in order to get a whistle, B) climb the WienerMobile and ride that thing like I am Slim Pickens in Dr Strangelove. 

Wooo-Hooo!

I was a little sad, not to get out and enjoy the wienermobile to its fullest, but not being arrested for disrupting many a hotel guests or defacing a sausage shaped automobile; reminded me that it was all for the best. I guess the WeinerMobile and I will remain like two ships that pass in the night.  Longfellow knows my pain.  

What amazing event has drawn these two titans into a meeting?  I am unsure.  I can't find anything about anything in Des Moines...google searches show a lot of press about a visit last year, but nothing about this year.  I guess they needed to rest on their trek, spreading joy across the country...so it was truly serendipity that I saw them.

Which WienerMobile did I have the honor of (almost) meeting?  "OH I WISH."  The best one (in my opinion).  What a great night.  One down, five to go.  Until we meet again, #WeinerMobile, I will see you in my dreams.

OH I WISH - the flagship of the fleet

Consequences

Even though it was all for fun, writing this blog has really been somewhat of a life-fulfilling activity (there have been reasons that I have not been writing in the past couple years and that will addressed at a later point).  Writing this blog over the years has had a lot of great consequences.  I've met interesting people, discovered great music, shared and received fascinating ideas, and found a lot of humor in the world.  

However, the best consequence was re-connecting Angie.

It all started with a little blog post congratulating Angie for becoming Miss Wheelchair Iowa 2009.  I had met Angie through a friend nearly 10 years earlier, at a time before she was involved in an automobile accident and becoming a quadriplegic. Around the time of the accident, our mutual friend moved and we lost touch...until the blog post.  We started hanging out again to catch up and then more often as friends and after about a year we started dating.  It's been a wild few years since then full of ups and downs - we became engaged on Dec 24th 2013. 

One Ring to rule them all...

I thought we would take is slow, maybe get married in a year or two but Angie was all "Nope, let's do this."  We were married on September 6th, 2014.  It was an exceedingly busy 9 months of planning and I am mightily thankful that Angie actually handled most of the planning and organizing.  Angie did an incredible job and created a wedding that reflected us and preferences. It wasn't your typical wedding (we are anything but typical) but it was an amazing day.

We decided to do a theme wedding...I know, I know some of those are horrible, but we decided it would be fun to have a 1920's Hollywood themed wedding.  The basis for this being that we are both big fans of both theater and movies, plus you know the outfits back then were just elegant and fun.  That was our base point for planning and the ideas developed from there.  Sticking with the theme, I had hoped to get married at the old Billy Joe's Picture Show location since I was always such a fan but unfortunately our guest list (correction - Angie's guest list) made that space a little too tight.  So after much searching we decided on the Iowa Events Center.  IEC used to be called Veterans Auditorium and I had seen many great concerts there like Kiss, Motley Crue, and Ozzy (and yes it is where Ozzy bit the head off a bat); how could I have a problem with a historic institution like that?  I think it is cool.

Of course, Hollywood themed we had to set the mood...so we started brainstorming.  We let our imaginations and desires run a little wild (sorry, this is probably going to just be a bunch of pictures).

We needed people to know where they were going.  We needed a lighted marquee.  This was created by my dad.  He did a great job, especially because I just said - "Will you make us a lighted marquee?"  We didn't know how it would be hung or where it would go, but it ended up being incredible.  Unfortunately, this picture doesn't do the lights justice.

Our names in lights

Red carpet and red curtains were a must and of course our bridesmaids and groomsmen would be seating in movie theater seats.  Gold stanchions and velvet ropes to keep the crowd in line.

The walk down the red carpet

We thought it would be funny to have us photoshopped into various famous movie posters like we have been in all these movies.  It was a fun photo shoot and our photographer (Black Label Studios) did a great job of making the posters.  The frames came from the Re-Store in Des Moines - only $10 each!

Grease, Phantom of the Opera, The Princess Bride, Singin' in the Rain, The Wedding Singer.

Top Gun - close up

Refreshments - movie popcorn and candy...what else did you expect?  Movie film, popcorn, and the velvet ropes and stanchions were loaned to us by the Merle Hay Cinema (I miss you guys already).  Movie reels were loaned to use by Fleur Cinema.  Both are places we visit regularly.

Popcorn and candy waiting for the guests.

Our star ready for the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  We also pressed our hands into "cement" ala Grauman/Mann's Chinese Theater for our unity ceremony (probably shouldn't trust us with fire).  Unfortunately that didn't turn out as great as I would have liked, just too much rushing on the day of the wedding to get it done right.

Our star

We decided we were famous enough that we needed life-size* cardboard cut-outs of us.  OK, I thought of the idea because I really didn't want to pose for a lot of pictures and figured this way that we could still let everyone get pictures with "us."  It worked like a charm.

*not quite life-size - mine is a little shorter, Angie's is a little taller to make for more balanced photos.

Feeling a little flat

Real vs Doppelganger -
Is it strange that facebook recognized and automatically tagged the cutouts instead of us?

My grand entrance song was the theme to the Muppet Show.  "It's time to play the music, It's time to light the lights..."  Angie did the more traditional wedding march, but we left to Red Sweater by The Aquabats.  Seriously, could she have been more open to strange ideas?

Center Stage  - Fur stole and tails and top hat.

We both love the movie, The Princess Bride, so we thought it was only fitting that we convince our minister to re-enact that scene at the beginning of the wedding.  Luckily, The Princess Bride is also one of our minister's favorite movies, so it didn't take much convincing (Thanks David!).  Not everyone got it...but to us, it was hilarious.

Wuv, twue wuv.

As our minister went to change into his normal clothes, our wedding had a short interruption by Elvis who serenaded us with some "All Shook Up."  This was a surprise that I did not know about until the rehearsal the day before.  Why Elvis?  I had been joking with Angie for years that if I ever got married, I was going to Vegas and getting married by Elvis.  So this was an inside joke that no one else would understand.

Ladies and Gentleman...Elvis!

The Feature Presentation

The fun and surprises continued with the reception.  I don't care for cake, of course, I would happily eat it on my wedding if Angie wanted a cake...but she agreed that we should go with Rice Krispie treats (one of my favorites).  Angie had a Rice Krispie cake made with Princess Leia and Han Solo toppers.  We also had a large selection of Rice Krispie treat flavors including: original, scotcheroo, peanut butter and bacon (the Elvis), and Fruit Pebble.  Instead of a full sit down meal, we decided to have a lot of appetizers of our favorite foods such as mini-corn dogs and white cheddar cheese curds (it had to be white cheddar...I am picky like that).  IEC did a great job with all the food and I wish I had been able to eat more.

mmmmm....

"I love you."  "I know."

Angie then surprised me with a Groom's Cake.  It was styled after a pinball machine with a hockey theme.  I had originally wanted to set up my pinball machines so everyone could play during the reception.  However that idea got thrown out early due to some demands from the IEC. So this cake was a really cool way of Angie bringing in more of my favorite things.  I am not even sure what a groom's cake is, but it was really thoughtful of Angie...and also made of rice krispie (with marshmallows and candy for various buttons and lights).

Delicious, delicious pinball

Our good friend, Tim AKA DJ NSFW, spun records for the first half of the reception.  Then our favorite local band, No Good Deed,  played a set for the second half.   I would recommend either or both for all your Des Moines area music needs.  I wish I had more time to rock out.

No Good Deed

It was a great day...and we passed the line of paparazzi as we left triumphantly.

Here are just a couple photos from the day that I thought turned out well.

On the new pedestrian bridge in downtown DM

A quiet moment before all the craziness

Thank you Angie for all the hard work and effort that you put into our wedding.  I feel like a total slacker for not doing nearly as much and for not having the creative surprises for you that you had planned for me.  I love you and think that you are wonderful.  I am glad that having you in my life has been the best consequence (by far) of this blog.  

Thank you to everyone who was able to help us celebrate or wished us well,  Special thinks to everyone who was in our wedding or helped along the way, it would not have been the same without you.  We appreciate you all.

Player 1 Has Joined The Game

As I mentioned earlier, pinball is going through somewhat of a resurgence.  One of these signs is that there in now a pinball league in Ames, IA.  It has existed for a couple years now but I only joined for the latest season.  I'd been looking/hoping for a league in the area for a several years, but there was nothing...and then when I did see the league in Ames...I had excuses.  The league is run by KD Amusement, the big arcade, pinball, billiards, darts, jukebox operator and supplier in Ames.

I've wanted to join since the beginning but came up with excuses on why I couldn't join...

• I'm too busy
• The season has already started
• I'm not good enough
• I'll have to miss some nights, so it's not worth it
• I don't like bars
• It's a long way to drive to just play pinball
• A league run by an operator seems sketchy
• I tend not to like people that take any subject too seriously
• etc...

Some of those excuses have various degrees of validity but mostly it was just an excuse for me to not try something new and to just be lazy.  I can play pinball at home, but I forced myself out of my comfort zone and joined the league.  I wasn't sure what to expect when I first joined but league night has become one of my favorite nights of the week.  I don't know my fellow league members that well yet, but I am enjoying hanging out with others and playing pinball...unfortunately pinball had become a more and more solitary hobby for me, so it is nice to get out more often with others.

How pinball league works - we meet on Main Street in Ames, every Tuesday at 7pm.  You are randomly assigned to a team competitors of 3-4 players and then randomly assigned a location and machine.  The league plays at four different bars on Main Street all within about a block of each other...the machines can vary throughout the season as the location setup is changed for variety. So far this season I have played on five different machines (Medieval Madness, Revenge From Mars, Iron Man, Twilight Zone, and Pirates of the Caribbean).

Your team will play 4 rounds, and you are scored on how well you did versus the other members on your team.  1st place machine score gets 3 points, 2nd place machine score gets 2 points, and 3rd place gets 1 point. If the 1st place player's score is more than the 2nd & 3rd places score combined, the first place player will get a bonus point...if not, the bonus point goes to the 4th place player.

So here is the responses to my previous excuses:

• Luckily, I have an understanding girlfriend who encourages my hobbies and understands why I am not spending time with her.  I am busy and sometimes it is a little bit of a hassle getting home from work, taking care of my dogs, and then making it up to pinball league...but it isn't too bad if I keep focused.
• In the past, I had always remembered/found out about the league after the season had started.  I was worried that I would just be thrown in and not part of the group...but the group is very welcoming and it is easy to make up past games (stay late and play more rounds with others).  You can join any time and be welcomed and if you stay to make up some games, you can easily be competitive.
• I was worried that I wouldn't be good enough...but there are all levels of play and each round can very significantly.  I haven't had a team where one player completely dominated.  To show the variance one week, I finished 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th throughout the night's match.  I must admit that I am in the lower rankings of the twelve league members, but that is more due to just having off nights when others are doing good and random team assignment.  I don't feel like I am being embarrassed by the other players.  Just bad luck...but I am still having a lot of fun.
• I have and will miss some nights this season, but it is fairly easy to make up the games the following week (or later), you can even pre-play some games if you know you are going to be gone.  The league is fairly flexible with that.
• I still don't like bars, but being with like minded people and keeping busy playing pinball makes it tolerable.
• It is a long drive to play (about 35 minutes) but I am usually looking forward enough to it that I don't really even notice...plus there can be added benefits (like last night were I found a perfectly good two wheeled cart that someone was throwing out - you know the kind that is nice for moving pinball machines).
• I was a little worried about the league being run by the operator (corruption), but it all seems good.  it seems to be run pretty well and KD only takes a small percentage of league dues for overhead.  It is actually kind of nice that someone from the company is usually there to help fix the pins if anything goes wrong.  It is also kind of cool  to get some "inside" type info on the industry and the games.
• Most members of the league are pretty easy going and don't take the game too seriously.  There is much less cursing and hitting things than I thought there would be (although there is a little of that from certain members).  Mostly it's just a good time even if you are doing badly.

If you'd like to join the Ames Pinball League send an email to janna@kdamusement.com.  And there is still plenty of time left in the season...so join now!

I am really enjoying pinball league.  If there is one near you, you should join.  It is a fun time, just hanging out and playing pinball and usually drinking.  In fact, I am thinking about starting a league for Des Moines this spring or summer.  If you are interesting in that, drop me a line and I'll keep in touch (and probably bounce some things off you too).

Pinball - Don't Call it a Comeback

Don't call it a comeback, pinball has been here for years.  It never really went away...but it does seem to be having a bit of a resurgence.  

 

You can witness the near end of
pinball in this documentary

10 years ago, pinball was basically considered on death's door.  My brother Kelly, and I started collecting machines because you could barely find a place to play in a public setting.  What was out there was beat to shit and just made you angry because it wasn't kept up.  We got pretty good at looking over machines and determining how well they worked before putting our money in...however we were still surprised at times (never once did we think to check whether the actual button for the flipper was there - lesson learned).

Replacement parts and used games were getting scarce and expensive...after all, in the previous decade Williams/Bally, Gottlieb, Capcom, and Data East had all stopped manufacturing pinball machines.  Luckily there was still one Stern Pinball.  Unfortunately, their games sucked at the time...their flippers felt lethargic, their designs uninspired, their sounds very repetitive, and they just didn't feel right...they felt cheap and like corners had been cut.  We still went out and played but it didn't satisfy.  Stern kept at it though and their pins steadily improved.  I think all the Stern machines from the past few years are pretty great.  They have fixed almost every issue that I had previously had with their machines.  I am not a huge fan of Stern putting QR codes all over the place and when they use photographs instead of artwork, and the playfield toys and artwork runs the gambit from being too sparse to too crowded...but those are all personal aesthetics.  I don't think any have reached the level of some of the classics from the mid-90s (I'm talking Addams Family & Indiana Jones) but they stand up very well next to most of the games from the period.  That is saying a lot and 10 years ago didn't think I would ever be able to say (but am glad that I can).  I hate to say it but Gary Stern really did save pinball.

Good quality, fun pins from Stern is just the tip of the iceberg for the beginning of this pinball renaissance. A new company is starting to make machines too.  Jersey Jack Pinball's first machine (Wizard of Oz) is set to start rolling off the line next month, and they just announced their second machine (The Hobbit).  The Wiz looks really good and looks like it has some cool innovations, I can't wait until I see one in person and get to try it out.  I am sorely tempted to pre-order a Hobbit pin.  It doesn't stop there though, a lead designer fromWilliams/Bally, John Popaduik, is also starting to do small run original pinball machines.  I really wanted to pre-order a Ben Heck's Zombie Adventureland, but couldn't make the finances work out in time.  They are also planning on releasing plans so that you can 3D print your only pinball replacement parts.

Looking pretty good JJP.  Can't wait to play.

The influx of new games has caused the prizes on used and older games to dip a little and the pinball community has sprung up to support and improve all the old pinball machines out there.  New replacement parts are being produced...often times improved over the original parts.  And not just a few items here and there...tons of items are being reproduced - artwork, plastics, mechanics, and circuit boards.  Enthusiasts are designing their own products to add to their pinball machines and make them even more attractive...more toys, better lights, and even color replacement screens.  I think you can find more parts now than when there were five pinball manufacturers in operation.

In the virtual world, Pinball Arcade is busy recreating all your favorite tables from the past onto virtual platforms.  From Xbox Live to your iPhone and Android Phones, you can now play many pinball tables faithfully recreated all in the palm of your hand.  I hear the iPad format is pretty darn amazing.  Meanwhile, Pro Pinball are creating original virtual titles that can both be bound by a real physics engine or be something that can only exist virtually.

It is more than just a distant movement though.  Here in Iowa there are many changes taking place and I will talk about those in a future post real soon, but includes Iowa's first pinball show, pinball leagues, and a pinball club.

If you have been interested in pinball, now is a great time to jump in...the future is looking bright from where I stand.  Hope to see you at the tables...click the link on the right to find pinball machines to play in Iowa.

Thank God I'm a Zombie Boy

In case you didn't realize, John Denver is now a zombie.

I love John Denver.  A lot of people think that is weird since I am mostly known as a heavy metal guy.  Admittedly, it was a little strange seeing both a John Denver concert and a Megadeth concert within the span of a month or so.  However, I have liked John Denver since I was a kid.  I am not sure when I first came across JD but I know I was young.  I know my mom had Take me Home, Country Roads 45 record and I am sure I listened to that (I still have it actually), and I remember him being on The Muppet Show several times.  But, I think I was familiar with him even before The Muppet Show appearances...and of course there was the movie Oh, God, and of course the John Denver Christmas Specials.  I'm not sure which influenced me to enjoy John Denver but I have for as long as I can remember.

I saw John Denver in concert 4 times...and one of those concerts probably ranks in my Top 10 concerts (maybe if I ever get around to writing that list sometime I will know for sure).  To me, John Denver just has this pureness to his sound.  I loved his voice and his guitar work.  I think he was a talented songwriter with songs that could be haunting, or beautiful, or both.  John Denver had more variety than most people gave him credit for ranging from his well known folk and country to jazzy bluesy work to children's music to comedy (seriously the Ballad of Spiro Agnew and his stuff with the Chad Mitchell Trio is hilarious).  I find his music uplifting and peaceful and still listen to it when I am looking to relax.

When John Denver died, I was sad that the world lost a musical talent, but also that it lost someone that really cared for the Earth.  

However, Ticketmast sent me an email last night alerting me to a John Denver: Rocky Mountain High Concert.  What?  It was the middle of the night and I was half asleep and just deleted it (as I do), so when I woke I wondered if I had dreamed the whole thing.  No, it has to be a tribute or something and I just missed that part of it right?  I hit up ticketmaster.com and searched for John Denver.

What?  John Denver has a concert on Feb 12th, 2013?

Who is in that picture?  John Denver really changed when he became zombie.  After looking into it, I figured out that this picture is a band called the John Adams Band.  They are pretty famous for doing a John Denver tribute.  I've listened to them before on youtube...they are OK, but for me there is something missing.  I think the John Adams Band plays everything a little slow, while John Denver often tended to play it a little fast live. (And the peculiar thing is this my friends,The song we sang on that fateful night,It didn't actually sound anything like this song!).  So you messed that up too Ticketmaster...this is not what is happening at this show.

Doing more digging, I found out that these Rocky Mountain High Concert is actually video of John Denver singing on big screens while some members of his original touring bands play live.  Not a bad idea, pretty cool actually and I would probably go if it was a little bit closer.  However, I strongly disagree with the way that they have it listed...and $50 (minimum) seems a little steep.

Dear Ticketmaster, 

This is not John Denver.  JD died in 1997 (unlike Elvis who is with the aliens).  Really this is not how you should advertise a show.  Are you really trying convince us that this is John Denver live?  Because the comparison isn't even close.  Think if you bought tickets to a live show and they set you down in front of a TV and said enjoy.  It could be good...but it is not what you expected.  Video is not a live concert.  You really need to say tribute.  Obviously, it is a tribute since John Denver is dead...a little clarity on this event is in order.  Please correct this in the future...otherwise I damn well expect to see the reanimated corpse of John Denver up there on stage performing.

Thanks,
People Who Care About Semantics

When the Sky Falls

Last night, CT and I were able to attend a free sneak preview of the new James Bond film Skyfall.  I enjoy James Bond films (and books and video game) quite a bit, but I wouldn't categorize myself as a fanatic.  I'll watch the movies when they are on TV but rarely do I just suddenly feel in the Bond mood and need to seek out a DVD (although I do own a few).  In fact, most people think my favorite Bond film is an odd choice...On Her Majesty's Secret Service (with the oft forgotten George Lazenby as Bond...thank you Marge Simpson for remembering George).  It's just such a unique and interesting Bond story.

I did want to see Skyfall in the theater when it came out, but it wasn't something that needed to be done on opening night...in fact, on our weekly movie night for next week I would have put it in about the fifth position after Argo, Flight, Cloud Atlas, Man with the Iron Fists...and possibly even Wreck-It Ralph.  Part of that has to do with fact that it is a new movie and I knew that it would be in the theater for a while, but part of it was also that I find it difficult to get super excited about a new (and the 23rd) Bond movie.  Eventually, it feels routine.  I know I will see it, and I know it will be good but the urgency just isn't there.  But I received free passes to a sneak preview...so that changes the movie priority list some...and once that change happened, I did start to get excited.  Plus it was at Jordan Creek Cinema and they have the best lineup in town of pinball machines.  When I walked the arcade before the show 3 pinball machines (out of 3) were being played, 0 video games (out of 20ish) were being played (hint, hint bars, restaurants  arcades, etc...when you keep your pinball machines in nice condition they will make you money).

You do pay a small price in convenience for these sneak previews...mainly, they give out more passes than seats or tickets because they want a full theater.  So you have to get there early and stand in some lines for a bit...but hey, I am hanging with friends so it is all good.  Sometimes you will even have to surrender your phone or leave it in your car because they are afraid of piracy (I guess)...we had to do that for Looper.  At Looper, Cam telling the rent-a-cop security checking people's phones "Well, I'm certainly not leaving it with you..." was so dripping with disdain that it still makes me giggle to think about.  At Bond, there was not a phone surrender (thankfully because that was a slow process) but the security guards were watching the people in the theater to make sure no one was filming...of course, they could use their phones and cause the annoying glow in the peripheral of your vision several times throughout the show.

Skyfall was good.  Really good.  At the time, I thought a few parts dragged a little; but I think that more had to do with me being incredibly tired from barely sleeping the night before.  Skyfall is gritty and action packed like all the Daniel Craig Bond movies have been.  If you like Casino Royale or Quantum of Solace, you should love Skyfall.  Skyfall did have a few things that I found interesting and somewhat unique for a Bond movie.

1. Skyfall doesn't really have many gadgets.  All the Daniel Craig movies have tended to have fewer Gadgets than the movies of 70's, 80's, and 90's (which were getting a little ridiculous at times)...but this takes it to even another level.  Bond's gadgets consists of a radio transmitter (with a single button to turn it on and off) and a Walther PPK pistol (which is coded to James Bond's palm print so that only he can fire it).  That is pretty much it for gadgets.  Bond (and his cohorts) have to make due with their surrounding and Macgyver-izer their surroundings for their defenses.
2. Skyfall tells more about James Bond's past than I think the the previous 22 films have ever told.  Truthfully, I am not one hundred percent sure how I feel about this.  I mean Bond was always kind of an "every man" in my mind precisely because I didn't know anything about his past before joining MI-6.  It did make the movie interesting though, so I guess my judgement will probably have to wait to see how this plays out in the future.

Skyfall has a lot of classic Bond in it too.  Bond being cool under pressure; crazy, creepy villains   Bond doing whatever it takes; amazing locations; Bond butting heads with M, lovely ladies who want to get on James; and Bond just being a total badass.  Skyfall did a good job of expanding the Bond timeline to the past while setting it up for a bright future.  However, I think my favorite part of the movie was the theme song/credit sequence in the beginning...it was just totally epic and awesome.  Really well done and interesting...and I even appreciated the Adele song (which I had avoided up to that point).

You may have seen this Heineken/James Bond commercial...CT and I were pleasantly surprised to find out that Heineken was not only a Bond sponsor, but was also having a premiere after party at the local Champps restaurant.  Everyone who attended got a free Heineken and then had special pricing after.   I didn't even have to ask to have my Heineken given to Cam when I ordered a Pepsi, the waitress/bartender did it automatically.  It was nice to sit and chat for a bit after the movie, a nice end to a good evening.

Gory Days are Here Again

Stage West Iowa (you may remember them from my post on Hedwig and the Angry Inch) is currently performing Evil Dead: The Musical.  You should go see it.

I've wanted to go see Evil Dead: The Musical since I first heard about the Canadian production in 2003.  Being a big fan of the Evil Dead movies and musicals in general, it seemed like something made just for me...but also one of those things that is such a strange abomination that it would die shortly after birth (I'm looking at you Lestat).  But it didn't, much like a Kandarian demon infected college student, it would not die.  I remember looking a few years later and being very pleasantly surprised that Evil Dead the Musical (EDTM) was still playing in Canada.  Ah Canada, you are so lucky...hockey, curling, and EDTM.  

I kept trying to find a way to justify a trip to Toronto to see the Evil Dead, but it just wasn't happening...someday Canada, someday I will ride a moose.  Finally in 2007, Evil Dead made the jump to Off-Broadway.  From there, EDTM has had all kinds of productions across the US.   But not Iowa.  I kept hoping but was continually let down by the lack of demon possessed plays.  Finally, this summer...it was announced.  Evil Dead the Musical would be coming to the Stoner Theater.  I was very excited.  Les Mis and the Evil Dead within a month's time...amazing.  I set out to buy tickets as soon as I could...but for which performance?  That is always a tough question for me, but this was easy.  Of course, I would have to see it Halloween!  Oct 31st, what better day to watch the Evil Dead.  

I was sure it was going to be awesome, Angie was not so sure...but willing to give it a try (this is just one of the many things I like about her).  Unfortunately, Angie has some unavoidable business come up and was forced to miss the show at the last minute...luckily my brother Ryan and his wife Hedda were happy to step in.  We had a great time and laughed throughout the show.  I would suggest you check it out within the next week (performances end Nov 11th).  

If you are unfamiliar with the Evil Dead - it is a horror movie about teenagers who stay at a cabin in the woods and inadvertently conjure demons when the find the Necronomicon.  Then it is a fight for survival with shotguns, chainsaws, and lots of blood...your typical, scary stuff right?  Not really.  It does have some scares and creepiness but it has even more campiness (on purpose) and humor.  The musical adaptation expands on the camp and the humor to make it a very fun viewing.  It isn't just sex jokes, foul language, and blood though...it tries to answer the tough questions in life like "How did a housewares employee land the perfect girl?" and "How did the perfect girl land a housewares employee?"  OK, it is mostly just sex jokes, foul language, and blood...but the show knows that is all it is and owns it.  You'll enjoy songs like - What the Fuck Was That?, Bit-Part Demon, and Do the Necronomicon.

Check it out for a laugh, I don't think you will be disappointed...how often do you get to see a singing moose head?  Not enough, in my opinion; so you shouldn't pass up the opportunity.

Challenge Accepted

It wasn't the classic "eyes bigger than stomach" scenario.  I knew from the menu that the sandwich was way too much food for me...but I wanted to see one in person.  Had I known that every other table around us was also going to order at least one and I would end up seeing quite a few before mine even arrived, I probably would have opted for something else.

Last night, Angie and I met a couple of friends went to Bennigan's.  For being a chain restaurant, I think Bennigan's does a really good job of providing tasty food.  Their Monte Cristo, Pub Bites (sliders), Fish & Chips, and  Pot Roast are all very good...but their Chicken Tenders are completely amazing.  Their chicken tenders pretty much ruined everyone else's chicken tenders/fingers for me for a couple years.  Going in, I knew it was going to be a tough decision.

That's not forced perception photography.  This
burger is big and taller than your beverage glass.

I don't make it to Bennigan's often...and it had been about a little over a year since the last visit.  Last time, the menu was all about mini-food - sliders of 4 or 5 different varieties, sampler sizes of a lot of different foods.  I wholeheartedly support this...I love mini-food.  I don't know the science but miniaturization makes food delicious.  However, this time it was all about the Big Irish...a doubling of their hamburger.  I am not usually one that goes for what I call "Hardee's/Carl's Jr Sizing" but for some reason this struck me as something that I wanted to put in my mouth.

So what's a Big Irish?  Basically Bennigan's takes any of its burgers and doubles them - two 8oz beef patties, double the toppings, with a club bun between them like a Big Mac.  I chose the Guinness burger - bacon, cheddar cheese, crispy fried onions, and a Guinness stout glaze.  I was surprised that it looked pretty much like the picture.  Good advertising there, that doesn't happen often.

This thing is big...about the size of my head.  The sad thing is that I wasn't extra hungry.  I just wanted to see it.  Angie ordered a regular Guinness burger, so I was able to make direct comparisons...and my burger was the big brother who played football and weight lifted in high school but now 15 years later is just a giant slab of a human...not fat, just thick and meaty and huge to her regular sized burger.

I wasn't really even sure how to begin with such a tower of meat.  I held it up to my mouth and tried to figure out the best way to eat this monstrosity.  After running the calculations in my mind, I determined that there was no good way to eat it and just started in.  I tilted the base toward me, figuring that the base bun is smaller and therefore I would be able to take a bigger vertical bite on the burger.  Opening as wide as I could and slightly smashing the burger, I still didn't even make it halfway - my teeth just barely nicked the middle club bun.  As I set it back down, I could feel the burger silently, Jabba laughing at my pathetic attempt to eat it.

I felt small and weak, once again mocked by the larger kids around me.  Fuck you burger!  I was determined, this burger was not going to ridicule me with contempt in its burger eyes.  I was going to stand up to this bully of a burger and I was going to eat the whole thing.

It wasn't easy...taking as large of bites as I could, I still only made it 90% through the sandwich in 2 bites.  I had to take 3 largish (but closer to normal) bites vertically to make each horizontal bite depth through the sandwich.  Each time I took a bite, it felt like I was smearing the burger across my face.  About 40% of the way through the sandwich, structural integrity started to fail and it quickly started becoming harder and messier to eat.  Much messier.  Around the 3/4 point, I was full and my delicious side of sweet potato fries was virtually untouched.  I thought about quitting but I continued the fight.  The last two bites were the hardest...I literally had to psych myself up to eat them.  I felt like that triathlete or marathon runner who collapsed within site of the finish line. You can see the finish line and you think the last stretch would be easy, but instead it just reminds you that you have more to go.  But I ate them, finishing the burger and declaring myself a fat guy in training.  My entire head and arms felt sticky from the Guinness glaze...but man that was a tasty burger.  Seriously, it tasted delicious the entire time...even when I was feeling stuffed and dreading the next bite, the burger still tasted great.

I was very full but, but I wasn't so full that I felt sick (surprisingly).  I totally thought I was going to be the guy from the AlkaSeltzer commercial, but after sitting and talking for about 30 minutes, I felt pretty decent.  Still very full but not uncomfortably so.  I usually don't eat a lot.  I am the type of person that can go to McDonald's and be perfectly happy with two regular hamburgers or gets the smaller 8 oz steak when eating out.  It may have only been a 1 pound burger but for me that is quite a lot.  A competitive eater I will not be. Adam Richman I tip my hat to you.

I just looked up the calories:  a regular Guinness burger is supposed to have 915 calories, so I would say 1830 - 70 (because of only a partial second bun) = 1760 calories.  Bleh.  On the bright side that was 20 hours ago and I am still not even remotely hungry.  I am both proud and sickened by myself for eating it all...it won't happen again.

Shut Up and Take my Money pt 2

SPACE ELEVATORS!  An elevator that can take you into space!  Ok, not really...at least not yet.  We (the human race) are however, on the technological cusp of being able to create such a thing.  Why would we want to do this?  Many reasons: experiments, science, ease of launching future missions to other planets, not as much waste as rocket launches, etc...  But really, I mostly dream of affordable space tourism, would it still be expensive - yes.  Would it be cheaper than launching a rocket or even a space plane for short trips out of the atmosphere- almost certainly yes, and by a lot (instead of millions of dollars or even hundred thousands, a space elevator could be in the tens of thousand and possibly even less).

I liked this kickstarter because it wasn't just a "one and done" program.  It has a short term goal (as all kickstarter projects must) but the company also has long term visions.  Plans for not just next year, but 10+ years down the road.  Development.  Maybe I will be around when this all comes to fruition, maybe I won't; but we need to start somewhere and at some time.  I am willing to jump in and help and follow this project as it develops.

It probably won't actually look like this,
the cable will more likely be about the
size of a sheet of paper.

Imagine - regular & routine trips being available to Earth orbit, the moon, Venus, Mars, asteroids, and beyond.  All without the extreme g-forces, noise, and pollution of a rocket launch as your elevator car quietly climbs a cable through the atmosphere.  It could happen some day.   Government is not supporting as much research as it once did, so it is up to us - the citizens, the dreamers, the believers.  This is a project that I believe in and something that I believe could change humanity's relationship with space forever.  The space elevator has been a dream of visionaries for 150 years, but now with carbon nanotubes it could finally be possible.

If you dream of the stars, join me in supporting the Space Elevator kickstarter. 

Great Bands You (prolly) Never Heard About (Pt6)

Great Bands You (prolly) Never Heard About (Pt 6):

Amanda Rogers

Wow, I haven't done a "great band" in two years.  I am slacking.   I meant to write this post a long time ago (shortly after the Jupiter Sunrise post) but it proved to be difficult for me for a couple reasons.  The first being that it is not my normal type of music...which is rock and metal.  Although I sprinkle in all types of music throughout my listening, it is often hard for me to describe why I like music that doesn't fit into my normal genre...I just feel like I don't have the words to give it the justice that it deserves.  The second reason is that I kept seeing different release dates across the interwebicon for Amanda Rogers' new solo album "Hope From The Forgotten Woods" and was waiting (somewhat impatiently) so that I could tie my post into the new album. (I like promoting the people that I like.)  I don't remember the exact dates or sites, but I remember seeing 'Coming year end 2009' and thinking that it must have just been delayed a little, it is only first quarter 2010.  Later I saw "Fall 2011"...and it still hadn't appeared.  Geez, it's like you can't trust random websites with accurate information.  I guess I am going to have to take to heart some advice I read (on the internet):

“The trouble with quotes on the internet is that it’s difficult to determine whether or not they are genuine”

- Abraham Lincoln

You are a wise man, Mr Lincoln.  OK, I know stuff happens...albums get delayed for many reasons (I'm thinking in your direction Brian "37 years to make SMiLE" Wilson) and this information wasn't even from Amanda's official site.  This has happened with other bands in the past and sometimes fans are just left wondering what happened.  During this Amanda Rogers performed and toured with a couple different band (The Sketchy Indians, and The Pleasants), but has now returned to her solo material and I am happy to announce that the long awaited Amanda Rogers' album "Hope From The Forgotten Woods" will be released this Friday - April 27th, 2012.  I wouldn't lie to you like the other guys - I actually have a pre-release copy of the album in my stereo right now.

OK, I know it is journalistic correctness to either continue calling her Amanda Rogers or Ms Rogers or something like that, but that seems repetitive and/or too formal for me.  I am going to skip to just calling her Amanda in this post...so when I say Amanda, know that I mean Amanda Rogers. Journalistic integrity be damned.*

I first heard about Amanda when she joined Jupiter Sunrise.  Admittedly, I was not thrilled with the prospect.  I had been enjoying JS for several years and didn't think they needed to change.  I was wrong.  When the band got into the newer songs which were written with piano as one of the integral part, I was hooked and realized the genius of Amanda.  She added a dimension that JS hadn't had before and it was wonderful.  It literally gave me chills at a couple parts.  Amanda's addition took the band from being a good but relatively standard indie band, up to the next level of depth and musical cohesiveness.  Unfortunately for music lovers (but fortunately for the individuals in the band) Jupiter Sunrise imploded.  But like a phoenix, Amanda has emerged from the ashes stronger and radiant.

I lover her piano logo...although it took me
about a yearbefore I realized the lid was a heart
with a dagger through it

Amanda is a singer/songwriter/pianist.  Amanda has a voice that can be strong and confident and frail and wispy when required...it is quite beautiful.  Amanda's lyrics flow nicely and can be very clever,  personal, and insightful. Her piano playing complements her voice very well - it doesn't overpower or get lost in the background.  She is a talented pianist that mixes various styles throughout her songs.  A favorite influence seems to be what my mind first identified as Ragtime, but more accurately would be called Tin Pan Alley along with early century jazz.  It is fun to listen to and gives some of the songs an Ol' Timey feel, but it is not overdone.  The components of Amanda's songs mix really well together...you can tell that they were written together as a single unit.  It has a very natural and organic feel that never feels forced.  I like listening to most music with good over the ear style headphones...but Amanda's especially because it feels like the harmonies and music wrap around me.  Being what she is, there are going to be inevitable comparisons to the other singer/songwriter/pianists of the day - Tori Amos, Regina Spektor, Fiona Apple, Sarah McLanlan, Kate Bush, etc...  Amanda Rogers holds her own against all of them...she just hasn't lucked into that "big break" yet.  She has her own voice and style.  If you have to compare, of those listed, Amanda seems closest (in my mind) to Fiona Apple in style, tone, and song writing...but Amanda is more subtle, slowly seducing the listener instead of Fiona's often blunt force.

Amanda's new album, Hope From the Forgotten Woods,  is a concept album written shortly after the end of Jupiter Sunrise.  Normally, Amanda's music and songs often have a bit of melancholy and bite to them, but this is the first time that you could actually call it dark subject matter.  The basic premise that I have determined is a story of a good woman in a abusive relationship who turns angry and vengeful...eventually manifesting as a serial killer, luring wicked men to her bed and their deaths.  But once you cross that line, can you ever truly come back?  On the first half of the album, Amanda does a great job of getting across the feelings of isolation, being trapped, and disillusionment of an abusive relationship.  The songs can be beautiful, heartbreaking, and haunting.  The second half the album is much more uptempo and confident as the protagonist takes control of her life and becomes a self-appointed executioner.  These songs are interesting and could be really fun if you didn't listen to the lyrics.  It does show off Amanda's variety in playing and vocals very well.

There are so many things to like about this album - the smokey vocals on songs like "All My Life", the rolling thunder piano of "Armageddon My Love", interesting lyrics like "I am the mother of my self-destruction", or the disquieting emotionalism of "What You Do".  That being said, I have always felt that Amanda doesn't make albums full of singles.  She doesn't (usually) have those super catchy songs that immediately grab your attention...but that is not necessarily a failure on her part. She does offer albums full of very good heartfelt songs that will stick with you.  When I first listen to an Amanda Rogers album, I think "it is good...but I am not sure how often I will actually listen to it."  And I am always wrong.  The albums are sleepers, small sections keep returning to my mind over the next few days and I will end up listening to the album over and over again.  With no songs being major standouts, I find that I end up listening to the entire album more and enjoying it in its entirety (instead of just skipping to the part I want to hear - because haven't we all bought albums because of one awesome song and then realized that the rest of the album is garbage).  With everything being good and so many different pieces to look forward to (and these pieces are always changing with my mood), I can listen to Amanda's albums over and over without becoming tired of them.  To me that is the hallmark of a great album.


If you enjoy indie music and good singer/songwriters, I suggest checking out Amanda Rogers.  I think you will find her music refreshing, beautiful, heartfelt and intimate.  You can order her new album, Hope From the Forgotten Woods here (as well as her older stuff), or check out her YouTube channel for some sneak peeks and live performances here.  If you are lucky enough to see to get the chance to see her on tour...do it and know I am totally envious.

2020 update:   Support Amanda on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/amandarogers/

*For integrity's sake, I would like to say that Amanda Rogers sent me a copy of Hope From the Forgotten Woods for free...but I had planned on writing the post about her before that happened.  But feel free to think of that as bias if you want.

Diabolical Deeds

On Saturday, one of Des Moines' newest rock bands, No Good Deed,  made their live debut.

This show was a little special for me...my brother, Kelly, just happens to be one of the guitarists in No Good Deed (and I had previously met several other members over the years).  Kelly has been messing around on guitar for over 20 years now.  I say messing around because I don't think he really had much drive to be in a band, he just liked playing guitar.  And despite having to listen the intro of Sweet Child O' Mine being mangled time after time in 1990-1991, you could tell that he had a good ear and picked up the guitar relatively quickly (we are not talking prodigy here, but given the same amount of practice he would be better than the average person).  It was a hobby that came and went.  He would play a lot for a couple years and then the guitar would virtually disappear for a couple...but it never went completely away.  Kelly's talent increased over the years and although told by many, many people he never joined a band.  I always imagined this response:

 I understand.  I am lazy too and doubt my talents for all things.  Its good, if you are happy you can do what you want, but I always felt that it was a shame.  Not necessarily that he wasn't in a band, but more because guitar was mainly a solitary activity for him...I don't know a lot about music (I have no talent myself) but I have seen the joy that group of people playing together and creating something larger than themselves can bring.  I was glad when he started playing with a couple of the guys from NGD a few years ago.  I really didn't think anything would come of it, but I was hoping he was getting that feeling of melding musically.  The band was off and on again a few times over the past couple years (depending on how hectic everyone's lives were).

About a month ago, Kelly sent me a message to save the date...March 3rd, the band was playing their first show.  I had heard talk of "the band" many times over the years, but had never actually heard them play.  I wasn't even sure what type of music they would play...Kelly and I both enjoy a pretty wide gambit of musical tastes.  Of course, I was going.  Kelly and I have gone to hundreds of shows together, the least I could do would be to show up for his gig.  Plus, the concert poster they made was awesome.  Even if I had never heard of the bands, I would have gone to this show based on the poster alone.  Good advertising pays off.

Love this poster

The location wasn't the best for live music - The Fremont.  I didn't know The Fremont had live music, they actually do have a smaller side room where bands and other performances take place.  I had no idea...and once I got there I knew why.  It was small.  But still good for a beginning band.  I guess the sound system wasn't great either and No Good Deed ended up setting up their own PA.  There were many obstacles to overcome to play a decent set...but the die was cast and a show there would be.

Fellow local band Hath No Fury opened and played a short but decent set.  Finally, No Good Deed took the (very small) stage.  Unfortunately, I know that several people didn't realize this and missed the show because they were in the bar's main room.  Its too bad, because for a debut show No Good Deed did a pretty good job.  They were a little loud for the size of room they were in and I felt a little bad for all the people that didn't have ear plugs (I always have mine).  You could somewhat tell that they were new to performing - lots of sweat, and sometimes looking a little scared to move too much.  They encountered and overcame small technical glitches and kept the show going at a good pace.  Communication between band members needs to be worked on and they need to get a little more comfortable on stage.  But for a first show...it was good.

Kelly, Rob, and Doug - rocking

No Good Deed sounded decent and tight (for the most part) and played a wide variety of music - half original, half covers.  How to categorize?  Well the best category is just general Rock.  Their original songs reminded me of a little heavier Jimmy Eats World...that isn't quite right, but it was the first thing that popped into my mind. Being a relatively new band (only 5 practices with the bass player before Saturday's show), NGD don't quite have their own cohesive sound developed...but they do have talent and I was impressed by their original songs.  I am really looking forward to seeing them progress as they perform more.  I don't think they are going to huge rockstars or anything like that (since so few do) but I think they can have a pretty good past-time/side career playing local gigs.  This is the type of band that I would enjoy going to see often (even if I wasn't related).  Check out original song "Feeling Better" below...and check out more on their Reverb Nation page.  I think you will enjoy.