Playing catch-up...

Uy, what have I missed?

Hmm.

Steel Train @ Von Dutch: Though it was great to see the guys, and I was surrounded by women each more beautiful than the next, the best part of this show was how much it felt like SXSW in LA. Let's examine the evidence:

Weird Location?: Uh, a parking lot on La Brea? Check.

Free Booze?: Patron and V2, warm. Check.

Shitty sound?: Daniel sounded like he'd blown his amp -- before the band started. Check.

D-list celebs?: Who's that to my right? Oh, it's Mike Birbiglia. Check.

Awesome Show?: Check Check Check. Lots of fun, and a crowd that was into it despite having obviously never heard of the band. Wanted to play "Rock Band" against them, but that wasn't to be.

So I got drunk. Sorry.

Bamboozle Fest:

Another surprisingly great day, and the beginning of Festie season for me, which means I should start buying stock in Gold Bond (and, apparently, those Kanye Shutter-Shades, which couldn't stay on the hot topic-rip-off-booth shelves long enough.) Who killed? Reel Big Fish, for one, who are ripe for a comeback; Steel Train, for two, who valiantly played opposite Paramour in the back of the fairgrounds for a dedicated few hundred; Paramore, for three, fronted by a girl/woman who doesn't flaunt her sexuality so much as use it to empower the 16 year olds in the audience to NOT empower themselves (pretty awesome); An Angle, for four, who sounded like a great Wilco rip-off. Who didn't kill? Well, lets just say I finally need to face the fact that I used to be a Jimmy Eat World fan. Now, I'm ready to give up.

Watching Nathan take a pic with Jack (and having the camera not work?): Priceless.

Gave Alia a ride home and found out the Arrested Development movie rumor's not just conjecture! Woo-Hoo!

Jonathan Rice @ Spaceland:

Backed by a crack band and playing heartbroken raves that could be equally beloved by Counting Crows or Bright Eyes fans, Jenny Lewis's boyfriend way won me over. Maybe that's because I got to chat with Nels Cline and Pat Sansone for a minute, or maybe it's because every time I go to Spaceland I fall in love at least 9 times, but I think maybe it was the songs.

Maybe.