New digs!

Summer is truly upon us! We had a crazy heat wave here in Chicago, but luckily things have cooled off a bit. I've finally had some time to settle into my new apartment, which is awesome. My buddy Justin moved to New York so I swooped in and took his room, now I live with two of the coolest cats in the world. They're hairy, a little messy, and they really enjoy bellyrubs and hiding under beds. Oh yeah, my human roommates are great too. Here's my new address:
1940 N Kedzie Ave Apt 3
Chicago, IL
60647

Last month was my 5-year college reunion, so I decided to head up to Maine and see the old gang. Needless to say, it was a phenomenal weekend. I hadn't been up there since 2007, and initially it was a little strange being back, but it was so great getting to hang out/dance with everybody.

The campus was as beautiful as I remembered, especially when it never stopped raining. But we had lots to do inside, so no complaints from my end. In addition to all the lobster I devoured, the real treat was seeing my former professor Shende playing with his 80's cover band, Racer X. They even dedicated a song to me!! I've never felt so honored.
I've seen some amazing concerts, from my friends playing in a dive bar to the one and only HIVES! This was the fourth time I'd seen them, and they did not disappoint. They played some tracks from their new album, but their old hits really got the crowd going nuts. Much like at the Andrew WK concert I saw earlier this year, I was drenched with sweat. Lots of jumping and screaming and pushing and craziness all around me. I go to so many shows where people will quietly drink their beer and sway to the music or bob their head, it's nice to see a show where people just go insane and scream along and have a blast. If you're ready, here's a taste.
Last time I saw them, in Indianapolis, I magically got to shake their hands and compliment them as I was exiting through the alley right by their tourbus. This time I jumped higher than I've ever jumped and successfully snatched a drumstick as it was flying through the air, maybe they recognized me and intentionally threw it in my general direction. I will treasure it forever!!!!

Bricklayers Foundation has returned to the studio, we've recorded six songs so far, and will soon go back to mix them and record some more. It's gonna be a great record whenever we finish it, hopefully we can put some tracks online before our gig on the 20th!
And of course there was the 4th, a nice day off to relax, see a movie with my human roommates, and watch fireworks from the roof of an abandoned building.
Yesterday I saw Mahler's 6th Symphony performed outdoors at Ravinia (Chicago's Tanglewood) and it was truly beautiful. I think all classical concerts are better when you can lie down on the grass, bring a picnic and gaze up at the clouds as the music washes over you. Plus all symphonies should include hammers.
The month ahead is going to be out-of-this-world. Next weekend I will be attending/playing the piano for my college buddy Daryl's wedding in New York. Two weeks after that we have a week-long family vacation on the Cape, and I will get to meet my brand new nephew Jackson Briggs, I mean Curtis Jackson, I mean Jackson Curtis! It's gonna be a great summer, my wonderful niece Addie cannot contain her happiness!

Get out of the kitchen

It's getting toasty! Although the nice weather is generally more fun to be in, I must admit that once I can no longer wear my hoodies I feel naked. I'll get used to it, someday. Some of my dogs absolutely love it:

Some animals are not as impressed.

That's the way it goes.
I went down to Indianapolis to experience Wagner's entire 4-opera Ring Cycle back-to-back-to-back-to-back. Yup, 16.5 hours of German opera in a row. My buddy Matt Williams works at the Wheeler Arts Center down there and decided to get the DVDs, project them on a wall and have speakers blasting some of the most powerful music ever written. Of course I had to go and support such foolishness! After way too much pizza, soda, doughnuts and cheeseballs, we somehow managed to stay awake for the whole thing. Some other people came in and out to sample it, but we were the true heroes that night/day. Pretty sure I can legally speak German now, too.
Since I was already in my old stomping grounds, once we caught up on sleep I got to hang with my old professors from Butler, as well as some old friends. Eating good food, drinking good drinks, it was perfect.
I've played guitar for a couple variety show things with our friend Wes, the guy who did the one-man-show with us as his band in February. Basically he's the MC, so he'll sing some songs interspersed with his friends doing comedy or lip-syncing or rapping, it's a blast. Also the show we did is coming back for a second run, Sundays in June at 8pm, check it out!
Bricklayers has played a couple more shows recently as well, we're definitely getting more comfortable on stage. We played with some of our friends at this awesome dive bar Moe's Tavern, you might remember we played there a year ago as well. Things got a little spooky at times:

But it seriously rocked. Then we played at our home turf, Township. Very fun stuff.
A big event in my life was seeing not one, but TWO Red Sox-White Sox games while they were in town. And wouldn't you know, we won both games 10-3. How cool is that? I must be a good luck charm. Here's Ross and I getting ready for the showdown.

My dear mama came to town for a work conference, so we got to hang and eat downtown. As always, all are welcome to my fair city! I will drop whatever it is I am or am not doing to lead you around, just say the word!
We christened the good weather with our apartment's first barbecue of the season, that was excellent. And then there was the weekend of all weekends, my college roommate Daryl's bachelor party in Miami. Wow. It was a group of about 10 of us, we rented a couple rooms in this swanky apartment building, and took Miami by storm. Lots of hanging out, some clubbing, some unmentionables, but all around an awesome time.
On Friday our calypso band played up at Northwestern, they were having a little Carib-fest and we opened the festivities. It was very cool, normally we play at youth soccer tournaments or people's barbecues, so just being on a college campus was a very different experience. We rocked the house, duh.
As for our sports teams, the Sox are gonna be ok. And the Celtics are doing great, it's been a real treat watching them battle these young guns. The Heat are a very good team, but I ain't giving up just yet. Hit em where it hurts, boys!

Back from the Abyss

Don't worry, I didn't get kidnapped. I just haven't had reliable internet for quite some time, I guess that's actually pretty similar. One of my roommates moved to Las Vegas in February and took the internet with him, it's been a long month of coffee shops and libraries. Blech. Also my laptop was busted, but don't worry, it's better! For now.
A lot of amazing stuff has happened since my last post, so I'll try to stay focused. Bricklayers played two more gigs at Panchos in Logan Square, we love it there. I played a couple gigs with my buddy Gregg for his ambient ensemble Sebetha, very cool stuff. And the musical theater thing was really interesting, we got some good crowds and everyone had an awesome time. It was so great that we're bringing the show back this June!
I spent a weekend in Madison with Charlie and Jeanne, the best hosts you could ever ask for. Amazing food, drinks, music, art and a Wisconsin basketball game to boot.
And who could forget my weekend in New Orleans with my bros? That city is too much fun, we had some very long nights of walking around and hearing fantastic jazz and drinking all the local beverages.   The food was spectacular, here you can see a before and after of the best friend chicken in the world:

Needless to say, it was spectacular. I'm still full. And oh yeah, we ate some seafood too. These are charred oysters.

Yup, consider your mind and stomach blown. New Orleans just feels like a different world, I gotta go back.
But hey, Chicago is pretty swell too. Last weekend I saw my hero, Andrew WK in concert. He played his entire album I Get Wet in its entirety for its 10 year anniversary, but the audience wanted more so he played a few more songs too. As you can imagine there was a lot of jumping and head-banging and moshing and crowd-surfing. I lost my watch but then found it under some guys foot, luckily it still works! What a show.
So I guess that sums it up. I must've missed some things, I feel like there was some football in there somewhere...Nah, probably not. It's been fun, looking forward to recording an album with Bricklayers, playing some more shows, and living the life. I'll tell you what I've been reading next time, I'm too tired. Here's looking at you, kid!

Holidays in the Books

Last month Bricklayers Foundation played our first gig with our new singer Keila, and it was awesome. We didn't have much time to rehearse but we played our hearts out at a cool little bar/venue near my house called Pancho's. In fact, we're playing there again in a couple weeks, we're all pumped. Now all we need is a photo-shoot.
Since I spent Thanksgiving in Chicago I decided to head home for Christmas, and I was not disappointed. It was great getting to spend time with family and friends and just hanging out. And the food! Scrumptious!! I bought a CD of Guns N' Roses songs turned into lullabies, because it's never too early for Addie to rock. This company makes lullabies out of everything, it basically blew my mind when I found their CD, I want to do their job. I listened to a lot of their stuff through Spotify, and came to the conclusion that GNR is and will always be the best.
For New Years I was hanging with Anna, Will and Carrie and her friends from out of town, eating sushi, drinking champagne, and chilling at our bassist Arjun's place.
And now for the obligatory food shot: Hot Doug's! Yum!

Those would be duck-fat french fries, tater tots, mini bagel dogs, and a "Brown Ale and Chipotle Buffalo Sausage with Bacon-Garlic Mayonnaise and Sage Derby Cheese." Beat that.
Also our keyboardist Charlie and I are accompanying a one-man show called "Don't Act Like A Girl," and wouldn't you know it our preview performance was tonight! It went well, we're going to fix a few things up a bit and have our big premiere/dance party next Sunday.
Oh yeah, and I gave blood last month! That was pretty cool.
I recently read "The Razor's Edge," which was a great book. It's about a man who comes back from World War I not wanting to settle down, instead traveling the world and basically just wandering in search of some sort of meaning to life. It's not preachy, it just explains one guy's unique point of view and everyone around him who basically think he's crazy. I just love the author's style, and hearing about regular life back then, going to restaurants, having parties, etc.
Other than that, we've been having some AMAZING weather here so I'm just thrilled, and the Patriots take on the Broncos Saturday! That should be exciting, I'll be pet-sitting some puppies next weekend but their owner has a huge TV! Jackpot!

New Digs

I've been in my new place for a month now, and it's awesome. I live with Neil (full-time musician, plays drums, bass and guitar, has been in this apartment for 9 years) and Nick (works at a casino, also plays guitar and brews his own beer). I'm still in Logan Square, but closer to the first apartment I lived in when I moved here 15 months ago. I couldn't be happier. For those who wish to spy on me here is my new address:

2634 N Richmond St Apt 2
Chicago, IL
60647

As for my birthday, it was very low-key. All-you-can-eat sushi with the gang, just the way I like it.
Anna and I got to see Michael Ian Black do stand-up, he was excellent. So excellent in fact that I got his book from the library, entitled "My Custom Van...And 50 Other Mind-Blowing Essays That Will Blow Your Mind All Over Your Face." Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
In bigger news, Thanksgiving was a treat. My buddy from Butler Matt Williams came to town, we had a blast eating and drinking and just hanging out in our fair city. He has some friends in Hyde Park who go to the University of Chicago, so we went down there for our big meal. It was delicious, I made my famous casserole, we all played cards and they forced me to dust off my Spanish. This picture should give you an idea of a) the delicious food we ate (it was a very nontraditional menu with no meats of any kind but no one was complaining) and b) the, shall we say, "cozy" atmosphere:

I am of course still giving guitar lessons, walking lots of dogs, reading all sorts of books and playing as much music as I can. In fact, Bricklayers Foundation has found a new singer, which is awesome. And in just a couple more weeks it's back to Boston for Christmas! It's been too long since I've been home for this holiday, and I plan on making the most of it. I'm talking sparkling apple cider, pumpkin chiffon pie, El Pelon burritos, JP Licks, the works. Just talking about it makes my mouth water. Until then, stay warm!

Rocking and Rolling

Another great month in the books. Let's start with the important stuff: I made another batch of beer! This one was a Belgian Tripel, made specifically for Ben's visit to our fair city. As he is the one who bought me the kit for my 21st birthday (oh how long ago that seems...), I decided it was time for him to finally sample one of my famous concoctions. This is where it all begins:

Big surprise, it turned out great. Really great. We had an awesome weekend full of eating and drinking and eating some more and walking everywhere and watching the Patriots. What can I say, I'm a great tour guide. And what better way to start your trip than with fried chicken, waffles and cocktails at 9am?

We also had a deep dish pizza sampling, resulting in Ben choosing Lou Malnati's over Gino's East. The debate is officially over.
In other news Gregg and I played another ambient gig as Sebetha, this time with our friend Matt Gold on bass. We played in the Comfort Station, a cozy little house by the boulevard that has great acoustics.

After us was a performance by Michael Zerang, he played some really great modern xylophone music.
And then...SIX FLAGS!!!! Just like last year we went in October for Fright Fest, where everything is a little spookier, and there are more creeps walking around. We had a bigger group this time, but unfortunately there were longer lines so we didn't get to hit all of the best rides. Even so, Vertical Velocity (which wasn't running last year) blew my mind. Oh man I love Six Flags.
I finally saw Moneyball, what a great movie. Easily one of my favorite books of all time.
In terms of what I've been reading recently, I really enjoyed Bill Russell's Red and Me: My Coach, My Lifelong Friend. Awesome book about Boston's Golden Age of Basketball, lifelong friendship, and Bill Russell just being the man.
In other news, it's getting colder which means it's time for dogs in sweaters! Hooray! This is Sophie, doesn't she look lovely?

But more importantly, Anna launched her very own kickstarter page, check it out! She's raising money to make a line of yoga clothes, it's pretty sweet. Work is going well, the dogs are behaving themselves, my guitar students are progressing, and I'm moving to a new apartment this weekend! I will give details on my next post, so stay tuned!

Another year in the books

Hard to believe I've been living in Chicago for over two years. It's been truly great, thanks to all the fantastic people, art and food. Continuing the tradition I started last year, I felt like it'd be fun to once again give awards to all the best stuff I've experienced over the past year.
First up: best concert. I've been to a lot of great shows, from seeing the Chicago Symphony play Schoenberg's Transfigured Night (twice!), to my friend Gregg's band Plastic Council killing it at the Empty Bottle. But in terms of talent, fun, and just blowing me away, this award goes to the Exploding Star Orchestra playing at the Whistler. They played there four nights in a row, and I got to experience one and a half of those nights. Seriously nuts. My friend Justin and I saw them about a year and a half ago at the Green Mill, a big, famous jazz club. But the Whistler is much cozier, the show was more intimate, and hearing them two nights in a row really showed me a whole new side to these guys. They played some of the same pieces, but went in totally different directions. Everything felt fresh, and their lineup shifted from night to night, yet no one seemed the least bit tentative or out of place. They played some fantastic modern jazz, with hints of funk, killer grooves and the perfect amount of chaos. Just blew me away. Runner up: seeing Arcade Fire and the National play at the UIC Pavilion. Amazing bands, amazing music, amazing live show. But the whole arena concert thing is getting old, I'm sorry. Of course, I was up close and can tower over all the teenagers in front of me. That part will never get old.
Best food: another close call. If you ever have the chance, check out Silver Cloud. We stumbled upon it randomly one night because it had no line to get in, but the food is literally to die for. You could call it comfort food if you really wanted, I just call it awesome food. Chicken pot pie that looks like it came straight out of your dreams. Still, there is one place that is better in my book, and that place is the Pork Shoppe. Hole in the wall, locally raised meat, delicious barbecue sauces and sides. And where else can you get a cooked rib in your jack and coke? It's called the Bloody Larry, and it's heaven.

Best album: I am quite biased, but I have to go with the Strokes' Angles. There's definitely some nostalgia in this pick, but really no one makes music like they do, I'm sorry. Julian's deep, luscious voice, the attacking guitars, the unique harmonies and melodies, I can't get enough. Beautiful, smart rock music. It's all I've ever wanted. Honorable mention: this album clearly didn't come out in the past year, but Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin. Houses of the Holy will always be my favorite, but Physical Graffiti is not to be overlooked. Seriously rockin' tracks by polished professionals, some thick keyboard sounds, and hooks galore. I'm just bummed all the classic rock stations don't play it more.
Best song: I Want the World to Stop, by Belle & Sebastian. Bonus points for the call and response, perhaps paying homage to César Franck's violin sonata. Who's with me? Anyone? Anyone? Second place: Life is Simple in the Moonlight, by the Strokes. No explanation needed.
Best book: This one is always the hardest decision for me. I've read so many great books this past year, it feels like an insult to mention only one. I just finished Philip Roth's The Plot Against America, a phenomenal look at what life would have been like had Charles Lindbergh defeated FDR in the 1940 presidential election. It has Roth's classic thickness and depth and sentences so long and drawn out it feels like he's intentionally hiding their true meanings, along with plenty of Jewish family conflicts. But he adds a healthy dose of history and then takes our country down a disturbing hypothetical path. I was a little disappointed with the abrupt ending, but that's just code for I didn't want it to end. Sherman Alexie's Indian Killer was another unforgettable work, about an Indian man who kills white men and leads to race wars in Seattle. Like Roth's book, a fascinating portrayal of racial violence and the voices that fuel the fire, only Alexie's book is less one-sided.
Best movie: I've seen a lot of great movies, I really enjoyed Inception, and Cedar Rapids was pretty great, but the best has to be (Untitled). A hilarious look into modern art and music, it strikes close to home. Almost too close to home.
Best bar: When the weather is nice, I'll go with Happy Village. Nice beer selection, but the outdoor patio is the reason you go here. It feels like a graduation party with the big white tent and white plastic chairs. In the winter, I'll say Small Bar. The beers aren't cheap, but the pulled pork nachos are the best in the world. It's cozy, and it's where I watched the Bruins win Game 7s against Tampa Bay and against Vancouver. That's tough to beat.
New category: best computer program. This goes to the one, the only, Spotify. Get it. Take iTunes, and add the capability to search for and listen to music you don't own. Not just previews, whole songs. For free. Brilliant. Apparently the musicians actually get paid something like .3 cents every time you listen to their track, so I've got all my stuff playing on repeat when I'm not around! Just kidding. Maybe.
Also a first, best website. Weebly takes the cake, as an easy to use website builder. We're not talking angelfire or geocities like the old days, these are nice looking websites without the hassle of getting your smart friend to make one for you. For free. I love it.
I think that about wraps it up. It's been another amazing year, and there's more to come! Now I'll leave you with some recent highlights. First up, cat in a sink!

Next, we have two cats who love to climb through that tiny window to stare at, and presumably someday eat Justin's pet bird.

And then there was the Cubs game! Great seats, I could've sworn we were gonna catch a foul ball. So close.

There was a phenomenal concert of Steve Reich's music in Millennium Park, that was a blast. And Gregg and I played another ambient gig, you can hear our rehearsal here. So much fun. My group guitar lessons have started up again, now I've got even more kids in each class. It's intense, but I like it. And for everyone who cares, I bought my plane ticket home for Christmas. I'll be in Boston December 22nd through 26th. Can't wait!